All the Love That We Shared
by HandsThatHeal
Summary: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins? COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

**Title: ** All the Love That We Shared

**Author: ** HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Author:** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing:** Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17 (For Future Chapters)

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **Well, we're back! This time with a completely different story than I've ever written before. I've explored the world of Canon in all of my previous stories, so this time I decided to try my hand at AU. I was skeptical to begin with, but thanks to funkyshaz57 and all of her encouragement, along with the original idea for this fic, we have decided to give it a go. This is an important one to both of us, so I sincerely hope you all enjoy it.

* * *

_**Prologue**_

* * *

_Terminal illness is a medical term popularized in the twentieth century to describe a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and that is reasonably expected to result in death within a short period of time. By some doctors, however, a terminal illness can be more eloquently described as a marathon - a contest or event of greater than normal duration that requires exceptional endurance. _

_In some ways, a terminal illness is like a track race, not just for the patient, but for their loved ones, as well. There's a clear starting point and a finish line, and when you're out there running, the pain of it may fill your every thought, every emotion - your entire consciousness. You play through the pain, though, because you're determined not to give in to the statistics - not to give in to the word. _

_Terminal. Causing, ending in, or approaching death; fatal._

_As a human being, you often choose not to give in to this idea, developing strategies to fend off awareness of your mortality and vulnerability and to escape into the feeling that neither you nor your loved one is immortal. This isn't going to happen because you aren't going to let it. Because if it's up to you, nothing will be left to chance. _

_You aren't going to lose this person. _

_You refuse to lose this race. _

_That just isn't an option._

_So, you run. You sprint, and you jump hurdles. You move at a rapid pace because if you do things quickly then all will be saved. Instead of pacing yourself in this race to the finish line, you hit the ground running faster than ever, as if by the force of sheer will you could make yourself or your loved one well again. But, toward the end of the race, you've been running and fighting so hard and for so long that all of your energy reserves are now completely exhausted, and you wish it would all just stop - that it would all just go away, so you can stop running before you collapse. You have run until you have nothing left to give, and you want it all to just. . .end. _

_On the other hand, though. . .what happens then? If it does end. . .well. . .then you've lost. _

_The ultimate defeat has occurred. _

_Death has occurred - and that's just not something you're willing to let happen. _

* * *

It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining and birds are chirping as they fly through the cloudless blue sky. It's one of those rare days that isn't too hot or too cold, but really just - _perfect_. You know those kind of days? The ones where if you tilt your head up toward the sky, the sun's rays delightfully warm your face. The kind of day where if you close your eyes and really pay attention, you can hear a father laughing with his son as they play catch at the park or a mother and daughter giggling while they splash around in the shallow waters of the beach. It's the same kind of day where if you try hard enough, you can literally smell the enticing aroma of a good steak deliciously grilling on a barbecue.

I can't even believe how wonderful that all sounds. I'd give anything to be at the beach splashing in the water or relaxing with the sand tickling my toes and my calves, oversized sunglasses on my face as I relish the amazing weather and enjoy some alone time with the woman I love.

That should be me.

But, it's not.

I am currently standing at the entrance of the hospital - two glass doors reflecting my presence - my heart pounding so hard I wonder for the millionth time if it is about to jump right out of my chest. I have been standing here trying to get my feet to work for God only knows how long, but I just can't seem to move. I need to walk through these automatic doors, but I am cemented in place to the concrete beneath me.

I'm not sure why I'm so terrified right now. I've been here before. I knew this day would come, but I'm paralyzed. I've never felt such a flurry of emotions in all my life. I've had time to prepare myself, to digest everything. So, I should be able to put one foot in front of the other and just get a move on. I can't, though.

Maybe it's because I can't believe this is real. Maybe I'm in denial. Maybe my brain is telling me that if I walk through these doors, I will wake up and find out that this has all been a dream.

Come on, Callie. You've done this before. You've walked through these doors almost every day for the past year.

Just thinking about the past year makes me want to turn around and run in the other direction. But why? Why am I trembling? Why are tears welling in my eyes?

Shaking my head, I silently chastise myself. Stop being ridiculous, Calliope.

Or maybe I'm not being as ridiculous as I think. If the past year has taught me anything, it's that nothing is ridiculous. Nothing is too trivial. Nothing is unimportant. There isn't anything in life that is worth being taken for granted. There is no right or wrong way to feel, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Especially when it comes to love and. . ._loss_.

Love and loss. These are two things that I've become intimately familiar with over the past year. They have become dominating factors in my life, day in and day out for the past twelve months. They have consumed my every thought, my every feeling.

These two emotions have become my. . ._everything_.

All because. . .I fell in love.

I, Callie Torres, met the most amazing, brilliant, extraordinary human being that God has ever created, and for the past three hundred and sixty-five days, I have had the honor of loving her, of holding her, of kissing her. I have been fortunate enough to make love to her, to be able to look into her eyes and know that nothing at all - not even death - can ever take away what we shared.

There are great love stories out there. Amazing even. I'm sure you know the ones I'm talking about - _Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde, Napoleon and Josephine_ - and whoever else. These may all have been wonderful loves, but I'm absolutely sure there is no story that compares to mine with Arizona Robbins. I'm certain that this story - _our_ love story - should be put on all the high school reading lists, right up there with _A Midsummer Night's Dream, Pride and Prejudice, Doctor Zhivago, _and all the rest.

This is a different story, though, because with Arizona, I experienced it all. _We_ experienced it all. Attraction. Romance. Passion. Intimacy. Commitment. For the past year that she was in my life, I was able to call her mine and mine alone. I experienced the highs and lows of a new relationship - the pleasure and the pain.

Thanks to Arizona, I experienced true love.

Having the opportunity to love and be loved by her has been a whirlwind of emotions for me. Had she not been ill - had we met under different circumstances - I think it would have been more of a slow burn. Had things been different, we would have been allowed more time to experience the honeymoon stage, more time to make love, more time to just be happy and live inside the protection of a happy little bubble.

Unfortunately for us, time was not in our favor causing our relationship and our love to hit me like a speeding freight train. There was nothing slow about it. It was almost instantaneous. It was amazing, but so horribly painful at the same time. My heart could barely take it at times, but looking back on having the choice to love or not to love Arizona - well, I really didn't have an option. Not being able to love her is a concept that is completely foreign to me.

When I first happened upon her, I didn't immediately realize how sick she was. I remember seeing her in the cafeteria of the hospital, alone in a back corner of the room staring out a large window as she pushed some unrecognizable food around in a styrofoam to-go box. There was an IV pole positioned next to her, but that wasn't the first thing I noticed. What caught my attention was the increased rhythm of my own beating heart, my palms slick with sweat, and the mild stirrings of arousal in the pit of my stomach as I took in her beautiful features.

_Attraction_. A positive response to a person beyond friendship both physically and emotionally; a force drawing two things together and resisting their separation.

You could definitely say that. Her hair was wavy, blonde curls framing an angelic ivory face that I was sure God had sculpted himself. As I watched, it was as if by some force of nature that her attention was drawn away from the window toward me. At that moment, when my gaze met hers, I was hit with the clearest blue eyes I have ever seen. God, those eyes shining so brightly, reflecting the mid-morning sun - they immediately captured my heart, causing my temperature to rise, butterflies to flutter about in the pit of my stomach, and my knees to literally go weak. Attraction? Definitely. Without a doubt.

I read somewhere that when it comes to true love, after attraction generally comes romance. But, how exactly does one romance someone who is mostly confined to a hospital? It's not easy, let me tell you.

_Romance_. To try to influence or curry favor with especially by lavishing personal attention, gifts, or flattery.

My romance with Arizona wasn't stingy or self-centered as it can have a tendency to be. Though I bought her things and gave her my undivided attention, I didn't lavish her with gifts and concern for my own personal gain. I wasn't trying to simply impress her, nor her me. We weren't selfish. We had no time for that. Through my relationship with her, I learned the true meaning of romance. I learned that it doesn't have to involve fancy dinners and popping champagne, but that it can be something as simple as a backrub or a sweet, thoughtful text message just to say hello.

While I would have loved to sweep Arizona off her feet by taking her on expensive trips to anywhere her heart desired, we weren't afforded this luxury, and because of that, I have a greater understanding of what a relationship should be like. I learned what it means to truly be loved and to give love in return.

For us, with romance came passion and intimacy. There was no way to deny either of them. We were simply drawn to each other - there was no fighting the magnetism. We were made for each other. We needed each other to breathe. She may have been the broken one - the sick one - but I needed her just as much as she needed me.

_Passion_. A desire for another person which has grown to an intensity that cannot be ignored. _Intimacy_. Something of a personal or private nature; a close association with another person.

Arizona and I shared both passion and intimacy. We shared everything. Our passion for each other was so overwhelming at times, I had to remind myself to breathe. The sensations that just a simple look or touch from her could evoke within me were mind-blowing. When she kissed me, my legs turned to jelly, my heart thumping the rhythm of a bass drum inside my chest. Our passion was raw. It was intense. It was like no other.

With each passing day, my desire and passion for her grew, just as I know her's did for me. We spent so much time intimately getting to know each other - and I'm not talking about sexually. What Arizona and I shared was something greater than that. It was a never ending process. We shared our thoughts, our wants, our desires. I shared my dreams with her, and as I listened to her tell me about her's, I quickly realized that they too became mine. She listened to my feelings and comforted me when I needed her most. There is no other person in this world I have ever laid my soul so bare to, and the moment that I realized this - when I was sure that Arizona Robbins was it for me, despite how painful that was to admit - I completely committed myself to her.

_Commitment_. The state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled; a pledge to do something in the future.

It didn't take long for me to totally surrender myself to Arizona. I was completely hers within just a few short months of meeting her, and I knew the moment she had my heart that I would stand by her no matter what - that I would be true to her through good times and bad. No matter how fast I wanted to run, no matter how much I knew I should not become emotionally attached to her, I was all in. I couldn't help myself. It was beyond my control, and not even death could make me leave her side.

It's hard to believe that I've called our story a great love story when I just summed it up so simply, but this is our love in the most elementary form. This doesn't even begin to cover half of what it was like to fall in love with Arizona. It wasn't always pleasant - there were times when it was completely gut wrenching, but I don't regret a minute of it. There is no way I could ever regret falling in love with her, and I know that given the chance, I would do it all over again.

Unfortunately, with love, there is always the chance of getting hurt. With _our_ love, though, there was _definitely_ that chance. No questions asked. I spent a year falling in love with the most wonderful person in the world, but at the same time, I knew that in the end, my heart would be broken because I was going to lose. I was going to experience the greatest loss ever because I was going to lose _her_.

How does one react to this knowledge? How does one behave when they are falling in love with someone they know is dying? How does one even begin to survive such a loss?

These answers aren't so easy because there is not a typical response to loss because there is no _typical_ loss. Our grief is as individual as the life we lead. Not everyone goes through the same emotions - there is no linear timeline in grief, or love for that matter. I must be fairly boring, however, because I can honestly say that I've experienced every single emotion, thought, and feeling the text books say someone in my situation will.

To my understanding, there are five stages of grief, as well as those five stages of love I already described, and this year, I have been through them all. I find this idea of staging feelings rather strange, though, because I don't know how you can ever attempt to tuck such messy emotions into neat little packages. Everyone's response to love and loss is different.

When I first met Arizona Robbins, I had the normal reaction to anyone in her situation. She was a patient, and she was ill. It was as simple as that. Of course I was saddened because from the very first moment I saw her, I had such an intense reaction to her, but it wasn't until she stole my heart that these stages of grief and love became real to me.

It's funny how the mind works when the heart is involved. The moment I realized that Arizona held my heart, my entire world was sent into a tailspin of the most profound emotions I have ever experienced.

_Denial_. Refusing to admit the truth or reality of something unpleasant.

Been there, done that. In Medical School, I remember learning that this first stage of grieving helps us to survive the loss. When I first realized that I was completely head over heels in love with Arizona and that she was going to be taken from me way before I was ready, my life suddenly made no sense. The world became meaningless and overwhelming - I was in a complete state of utter shock and consummate denial.

How could this be happening? How could I have finally found my other half - this lovely, beautiful, caring woman who I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt was my soul mate - only to realize that our love could never be because she was dying. I was going to lose her before I ever had the chance to really make her mine.

I was numb. I wondered how I could possibly go on - why I _should_ go on. At that point in time, denial became my greatest coping mechanism. I had to protect myself from experiencing the intensity of the loss of something that had only been mine for a very short period of time, but _should have_ been mine forever. As I forced myself to move through the experience, though, I slowly gained a little strength causing my initial denial and disbelief to diminish. Unfortunately however, then I was just. . .pissed.

_Anger_. A strong feeling of displeasure and usually of antagonism.

Oh boy, was I angry. A priest once told me that anger has no limits and that it can extend not only to your friends, family, and yourself, but also to God. Several times I remember praying to God to heal Arizona - to let her live for me. On other occasions, however, I was so angry that I cursed him. Where was God in all of this? How could he have made me so happy only to rip that happiness from my very grasp?

Underneath my anger was pain. I felt deserted and abandoned, but soon my anger served as an anchor when I was lost at sea. Suddenly, I found structure in my life again. My anger became something to hold onto - something to get me through - something to make me try harder to find a cure for Arizona. The anger I felt was just an indication of how intensely I loved her - of how much I needed her to live. I would go anywhere and do anything just to be allotted more time with her. I _needed_ that time. We both did.

_Bargaining_. Negotiating over the terms of a purchase, agreement, or contract; to haggle.

Please, God! I will devote the rest of my life to helping others if you will please just let Arizona live. I'm not sure how many times I've uttered those words over the past months. If only I had met Arizona sooner, maybe I would have been able to recognize that she was sick before it was too late. Maybe there was an experimental treatment out there we could try, if only we could find it. Maybe_ this_. . .if only _that_. As time wore on, I became lost in a world of these _maybes_ and _if onlys _as I tried to negotiate my way out of the incapacitating hurt and immeasurable sadness I was feeling.

_Depression_. The state of feeling sad.

The state of feeling sad, my ass. When I thought there was nothing left for me to do, grief entered my life at a deeper level than I ever could have imagined. I felt like I was in a fog of perpetual sadness, wondering how I would ever be able to go on alone without Arizona.

And really, why go on at all? We had known each other for less than a year, but that beautifully kindhearted woman had worked her way into my soul and held my heart in her hands. She was the greatest thing to ever happen to me, and I just couldn't lose her. There was no way that this could possibly be happening to us.

_Acceptance_. To receive willingly; to endure without protest or reaction.

Nope, not happening. Not ever. There was no way I was ever going to be able to accept the fact that Arizona was going to die. She was too young. Too amazing. She still had too many places to go, too many things to do. I found it complete bullshit when people told me that there are only two requirements for a life to be complete - birth and death. Not every life is complete just because of this, and in my opinion, the people who think this are stupid. Arizona and I needed more time, more opportunities, more experiences. We _deserved_ more time, more opportunities, and more experiences. I never once accepted that she was going to die. I continued to search for a cure - for an experimental trial for her to be accepted into until the very end.

As a doctor, I thought I understood how difficult it was to watch someone slipping away, but until that someone was the love of my life, I had absolutely no idea. The pain was excruciating with a sense of devastation unmatched by anything I have ever known. Losing a loved one, or in my case, my one _true_ love, was the hardest experience I've ever had to face.

Every day, I watched another little bit of Arizona die, and at times I questioned if I had the mental and physical strength to go on. Why was I doing this to myself? Why couldn't I just walk away? Lying alone in my bed at night or next to her in her hospital room, I sometimes found myself wishing that she would drift off gently in her sleep, making me feel dreadful for even thinking it, but still, I did. As terrible as it sounds, there were times when I genuinely felt that death for her, and maybe even for me, would be a Hell of a lot simpler and less painful than life.

Over this past year I've been through the five stages love and of grief - well, at least I've moved through four, wholeheartedly refusing to believe there is a fifth. _Acceptance_ - that stage can just kiss my ass because I simply refuse to accept something that is so wrong, something that my confused mind and fragile heart will not allow me to comprehend. I feel that by accepting Arizona's death, I am saying that what we had wasn't worth something - that I am saying goodbye to her and that - that is something I _will not_ do.

Not now. . .not ever.

I am glad to say that I did all I could for her. I told her how much I loved her and held her hand. I stopped everything that I was doing and gave her my full attention. Going through this with Arizona was truly an unbelievable experience that will stay with me forever.

My friends have asked if I would do anything differently if given the chance. Would I choose again to fall in love with someone who I knew was dying?

For me, the answer to that is simple. Yes, of course I would.

Aren't we all moving toward dying at some point, anyway? There are very few guarantees in life, and I think to a certain extent, knowing the clock was ticking probably enhanced our relationship because we had no tendency to argue about stupid shit. Even if we only had a short time, we decided to grab every moment that we could get. We made beautiful memories together. We lived while we could. We squeezed every ounce of life and happiness out of our time together. I wish that this wasn't the path chosen for us to travel, but our days were happy and fulfilling ones.

No matter the circumstance, everyone should experience the feeling of being loved. Everyone should be allowed to live life to the fullest and experience the amazing things the world has to offer. Dying or living, no one should ever hold themselves back. Through loving Arizona Robbins, I learned this. I tried for a time to fight it - I tried to run, but in the end, there was nothing I could do. She came into my life, made footprints on my heart, and because of her, I will never be the same.

The sensation of someone knocking into me from behind jolts me from my silent reverie, and I slowly exhale a breath as I continue to stare through the glass of the double doors in front of me. Slowly moving forward, the doors open, allowing me to step inside. Immediately, the sights, sounds, and smells of the hospital assault my senses transporting me back to a year ago. . .

* * *

_To most, untimely death is an unrealistic dilemma that just doesn't seem to fit into your brain, your heart, or your soul. It's like trying to stuff an oversized piece of furniture into a room that is way too small. Once everything has been moved around, though, you begin to come to grips with what your life will be like without this person who you love more than anything. You don't like it, but you have to accept it, right? So, you push through. You keep running the race to the bitter end._

_So, what do you do when the person you're running this marathon with is your soul mate - the person you were meant to be with forever? The person you were destined to love, the person who completes you. What if you were made for each other, yet there is no way that this person will survive? What if there is no way to actually win the race? _

_What if the love of your life has a terminal illness? What if your other half is going to leave you just by definition of the word? _

_Terminal. Extremely or hopelessly severe; of or relating to the end._

* * *

**AN2: **Just remember, folks. . .it's called fiction for a reason. So, be nice! Constructive criticism is always welcome, but disrespect is not. Personal attacks are not reviews. Thanks so much to everyone for reading, and we look forward to seeing what you think about this new fic!


	2. Chapter 1

**Title: **All The Love That We Shared

**Author:** HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Author: ** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: ** Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17 (For Future Chapters)

**Summary**: We can fight it - we can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **The response to the Prologue of this story was overwhelming. Thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing/commenting. We realize that the subject matter for this story is a difficult one - but it is a realistic one - and your willingness to give this story a shot means a lot. We will try not to disappoint. Of course, a huge thank you goes out to Funkyshaz57 for all that she does! We really hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks again!

* * *

**_Chapter One_**

* * *

_One Year Ago. . ._

Dr. Callie Torres quickly rushed through the automatic doors of Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, her raven hair damp with the morning rain, her black leather jacket haphazardly hanging from her shoulders as she hastily tried to remove it. "Shit. I can't believe I'm so late," she mumbled to herself, rushing toward the residents' locker room. Bursting through the door, she moved toward her locker, throwing her purse and jacket to the bench behind her without a care. "Shit, shit, shit."

"You okay there, Torres?"

Callie fought her way into her blue scrub top as she turned toward the voice. "I'm so late, Bailey," she said to her best friend. "I have a mitral valve replacement in ten minutes."

Miranda Bailey scrutinized the other woman's appearance. "Late night?" the short statured African American doctor asked with a smug grin on her face.

Callie rolled her eyes as she tied the drawstring of her scrub pants. "Yes, but _not_ for the reason you're thinking," she adamantly stated, throwing herself down on the bench to pull on her Puma tennis shoes. "I was researching minimally invasive mitral valve repair techniques. I'm hoping Dr. Altman will let me try one today."

Miranda sat down next to her friend. "I have no idea how you can get so excited about hearts and lungs and crap," she said, handing Callie the lab coat from her locker. "Way too risky for me."

Callie incredulously regarded her best friend as she hurried to don the white coat offered to her. "Seriously?" she scoffed, rolling up her sleeves. "Because oncology and hematology is just full of rainbows and sunshine, right?"

Miranda just nodded her head with a rueful sigh as they exited the room on their way toward the OR. "What do you have going on, today?" Callie asked once they entered the elevator.

"Consult coming in later for a possible bone marrow transplant," Miranda replied as she hit the appropriate button on the elevator panel. "Thirty-year-old female with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Autologous transplant failed a year ago, but chemo has resulted in a period of remission long enough for an allogeneic transplant. Just need to find a donor," she explained.

Callie shook her head as her friend spoke of her consult. "And what I do is risky?" she asked, stepping off the elevator. "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

Miranda sighed. "Sometimes it all sucks, Torres," she replied as she turned to move in the opposite direction of her friend.

Callie grabbed the smaller woman's shoulder, halting her movement. "Good luck with your consult, Bailey," she genuinely offered.

Miranda smiled, patting Callie's hand that rested on her arm. "Thanks," she stated with a smile. "Now, go kick ass in your surgery. Enough of this touchy. . .emotional _crap_."

* * *

Knocking gently on the closed hospital room door, Miranda entered once hearing a voice permitting her to so so. "Ms. Robbins," she began, looking down at the clipboard in front of her as she stepped into the room. "I'm Dr. Miranda Bailey. It's nice to meet you," she genuinely continued, extending her hand to the woman in front of her. "I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other for the next few months, so. . .can I call you Arizona?"

The blonde haired, blue eyed woman seated atop the exam table looked up from the iPhone in her grasp. Reaching out to shake Miranda's hand, she squeezed it firmly. "Figure out a way to save my life, Dr. Bailey, and you can call me whatever you want."

Miranda regarded Arizona with a smirk. "You've got spunk," she said with a slight chuckle. "I think I'm going to like you."

"Trust me, Dr. Bailey. You're gonna love me. I'm _awesome_," Arizona replied, though the sadness in her clear blue eyes betrayed her chipperness.

Miranda skeptically watched as her newest patient looked back down toward her iPhone. "Tell me about yourself, Arizona."

Arizona glanced back toward the doctor who was now seated on a stool in front of her. "I was first diagnosed a year and a half ago. I'm a surgical resident at Johns Hopkins. . ." she trailed off, her face falling as she considered her words. "Well, I. . ._was _a surgical resident at Hopkins until all of. . ._this_," she continued, waving her hands in the air and rolling her eyes. Taking a moment to gather herself, she cleared her throat. "I was just exhausted. All the time. I would get short of breath just by doing the simplest things. I thought at first that it was just the usual, though. . .I mean, you know what it's like to be a fourth year resident."

Miranda nodded her head. "Indeed, I do," she agreed.

Arizona smiled. "Yeah, so. . .I just thought I needed to take better care of myself, but then I started to get these terrible nose bleeds," she explained. "One evening, right in the middle of an appendectomy on a twelve year old, my nose started bleeding. Thank God I was wearing a mask. . ." she shook her head, remembering that day. "Anyway, my best friend drew some blood, ran some tests. . .then I had a bone marrow biopsy, followed by harvesting my own stem cells, then chemo and radiation, then the transplant. You know the drill, Dr. Bailey."

Miranda once again nodded her head, making a note in Arizona's chart. "So, what brings you all the way to Seattle from Baltimore?"

Arizona sighed. "Well, I finished my fourth year of residency during that time, but then. . .well. . .then the leukemia recurred. I started chemo again, but this round made me so sick that I had to. . ._resign_ from the residency program," she dejectedly stated, her cheerful eyes becoming more and more melancholy with each word she spoke. "I got tired of all the whispers and sad eyes and depressing comments from my colleagues, so I decided to leave. I needed a change of scenery, anyway," she offhandedly added with a flick of her hand.

Miranda stood from her stool, setting her clipboard aside. Placing her stethoscope into her ears, she silently began examining her charming blonde haired patient. "Deep breath," she instructed.

After completing her initial examination and making a few notations in Arizona's chart, Miranda once again took a seat.

"So, what's the damage, doc?" Arizona asked.

Miranda smiled. "Well, your vitals are all good," she began, though her voice betrayed the news. "But, how are you _feeling_?"

A rueful laugh fell from the blonde's lips. "To be honest. . ." she paused, "I feel like total shit. I finished a week of chemo about three weeks ago, but the follow-up biopsy only showed minimal remission. My joints hurt like a bitch, I've had a headache for the past four days. I can't keep anything down. The plane ride here was awful. I probably shouldn't have left when I did, but I just had to get out of that place."

Miranda gently patted her patient's knee. "Well, we're going to do all we can for you, here. For starters, I'm going to set you up with an IV to get some fluids into you. I'm sure you're dehydrated," she said as she moved around the exam room in search of the supplies she needed. "After that, you know know how it goes. We'll start your. . ."

At that moment, the door to the exam room burst open, causing both women's attention to immediately turn toward the interruption. With her nose buried in a patient's chart, Callie didn't even bother looking up from her reading as she mumbled something about the left atrium and an artioventricular valve.

Eyes wide, Miranda shook her head as she momentarily excused herself from her smirking patient. Stalking toward her friend who now stood resting her elbows on the counter as she continued to ramble on, Miranda grabbed her by the arm. "Torres," she hissed. "What the Hell are you doing?" she spat as she dragged her toward the door. "I have a consult in here right now."

Finally pulling her attention from the chart, Callie blushed slightly as she mumbled a brief apology, a streak of blonde hair the only thing catching her eye before being hastily escorted from the room.

Now alone, Arizona couldn't help the dimpled grin that lit her face, nor could she explain the butterflies that began to flutter about in the pit of my stomach. Continuing to smile as her new doctor re-entered the room, the blonde cleared her throat in an attempt to compose herself.

"I apologize for Dr. Torres," Miranda stated with a roll of her eyes. "She's my bestfriend, and I couldn't live without her, but sometimes she can be totally. . ._clueless_."

Arizona chuckled softly, the infectious smile that had just graced her features, once again curling at her lips. "It's okay, Dr. Bailey," she replied, wiping the unexplained moisture that had collected in her palms onto her jean covered thighs. "She was kinda cute."

* * *

Shocked that her best friend had just not so subtly shooed her from an exam room, Callie soon found herself sneaking ten minutes of solitude outside near the abandoned ambulance bay.

At just around eleven in the morning, she was already fried. After her mitral valve repair earlier that morning - which she had totally _rocked_ - her day quickly took a turn for the worse. In the less than two hours since her surgery, she had been vomited on - _twice_ - yelled at by a patient's family member, kicked out of her favorite exam room to hide in, and had somehow misplaced a very important case file that she would definitely need to locate before the end of the day.

Not paying a bit of attention to her surroundings, she leaned her body against the cool bricks of the building. Pulling her phone from her pocket to see if Bailey had made her move in their on-going game of _Words with Friends, _Callie quickly swiped her thumb across the screen. Chuckling softly at the word her friend had played, she meandered over to have a seat on an overturned crate.

Mentally patting herself on the back as she added the word _artery _to Bailey's play of _pathology_, Callie stopped suddenly when she caught movement out the corner of her eye. Startling slightly at the presence of someone else, she cleared her throat, attempting to catch the stranger's attention.

Light brown eyes looked toward her, her heart immediately clenching at the look of grief on the rather attractive man's face.

Callie knew that look. She had seen in many times before. It was a look that she herself had put upon the faces of patients and family members many times over. Momentarily speechless, she knew she shouldn't interrupt this man's private moment, but for some reason, she just couldn't look away. There was just something about the devastation and hopelessness present in his features that made her want to console him.

Stepping back when she saw the man hastily jump up, she turned her head to allow him a moment as he modestly wiped the tears from his face.

After an awkward moment, Callie stepped closer to him. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," she softly said. "Are you okay?"

The moment the question left her mouth, she mentally berated herself. _Stupid question, Callie. Clearly he's not okay._

Screwing his face up in a defensive scowl, the man with short brown hair scoffed at the question. "What? I'm fine," he brusquely replied.

Holding up her hands, Callie considered the man's tone. "Hmm. . .well it's just that you're sitting out here all alone. In a restricted area of the hospital. Crying," she sarcastically stated, not worrying about her tone. "So, I thought _maybe_ something was wrong. Oh, did I mention that this is a restricted area?"

"Whatever!" the man snapped as he started to march past her.

Callie turned toward his retreating form. "There's no need to be so rude!" she hissed.

The distraught man spun around so quickly that Callie jumped back, her heart pounding. Steeling herself, she held her breath, awaiting the fury of this stranger, though as she closely watched him, she was surprised to see tears once again well in his sorrowful eyes.

Unsure of what to do, Callie decided to go with her gut, slowly moving to tentatively reached out, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Listen. I'm sorry, okay. I shouldn't have been so rude to you," she apologized, throwing herself back down onto the crate she had just vacated, her eyes now trained on her clasped hands.

Shaking his head, the man sniffled a few more times as he harshly dug his palms into his eyes. "My best friend is dying, okay," he spat, roughly drying his face with the cotton fabric at the cuff of shirt that stuck out beneath his jacket.

Callie immediately looked up at the sound of the emotion in the man's deep voice. Watching as he dejectedly scuffed the toe of his shoe against the broken concrete beneath him, she sighed. Leaning back from where her elbows were resting on her knees, she cleared her throat. "I-I'm very sorry to hear that," she simply stated, because really. . .what else was there for her to say?

The man skeptically regarded the raven haired surgeon before hesitantly pulling up a crate next to her. Sitting down with a huff, he once again shook his head. "She's my best friend," he began, the worry and sheer devastation etched into every feature of his face. "She's the only person who has ever given me the time of day. The only person who's ever been there for me. How am I supposed to just. . .to. . .she's my best friend."

Callie sat silently, unsure of how to proceed with this upset, but undoubtedly rude stranger. "I can't imagine how hard that must be for you," she softly stated when all other words failed her. "What. . .umm. . .can I ask what. . ." she trailed off, not wanting to push the stranger too far.

"Acute lymphoblastic leukemia."

Callie swallowed hard upon hearing his announcement. She didn't deal much with leukemia in cardiothoracics, but she had listened to Bailey talk enough about it to know that this certainly was _not_ good news. Purposely diverting his gaze, she reached out to touch his forearm. "You know it's okay to. . .cry, right?" she hesitantly asked. She wasn't sure what it was - perhaps the melancholy look in his eyes or the dejected tone of his voice - but for some reason, Callie was nervous about discussing this man's friend.

Why, though? She had no idea.

It shouldn't be this hard, because this was what she did - what she was taught in medical school. Get straight to the point, be sympathetic but professional, deliver bad news, but stay detached.

Searching the recesses of her mind for something poignant to say, she brushed her palms against her scrub covered thighs. "I know this is probably easy for me to say, as a doctor and a stranger, but. . .if you're going to be strong for your friend, you need to do what's best for you, too. _And_. . .if that means breaking down from time to time, then so be it."

The stranger immediately rolled his eyes. "Dude, first off, I _don't_ cry. You got that," he sarcastically retorted as he jumped up from his seat. "And second. . .I have _no right_ to be upset. She's the one who's freaking dying."

Callie only watched as he began to pace the area in front of her, his hand brushing against the short hair at the top of his head.

"But. . .somehow. she's still stronger than anyone I know. How fucked up is that?" he shouted, though the crack in his voice and the tears that once again threatened to slip down his cheeks betrayed his attempted strength.

Callie shook her head, recognizing his bitter attitude as a defense mechanism. "Well, then your friend seems like a really amazing person," she replied, at a loss for any other way to console this man. "Sounds like you're lucky to have her."

Smiling for the first time since they met, the stranger shook his head. "You have no idea," he stated as his pacing began to slow. "She's an amazing friend and would have been an amazing surgeon, but. . .now. . .well. . .this place is her last chance."

Callie's eyes widened upon hearing this information. "She's a _doctor_?"

The man nodded, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets when he had calmed enough to once again take a seat next to her. "Fifth year resident at Hopkins. We both are. That's where we met," he supplied, looking off into the distance. "We started off in the same group our intern year."

Callie smiled at the fondness written across the man's face. "I have that same friend," she affectionately admitted. "We've been through alot together."

The stranger searched Callie's soulful brown eyes. "Us, too," he stated. "She's the only person who doesn't take my crap. Not to mention, she turned me down about a hundred times when we first me," he said with a chuckle. "Turns out she's into the ladies, so I never really stood a chance, but she was always so friendly about it. Arizona is the only person I've ever met who could still make me feel good about myself even though she was rejecting me."

Callie chuckled along with the stranger, her thoughts turning to some of the crap she and Bailey had gotten themselves into and understanding just how special and important such a friendship could be. "This Arizona of yours sounds pretty _kick ass_," she said with a smile.

The man nodded his agreement. "You know. . .being a doctor is hard when you have to deal with something like this. Knowing the statistics - her prognosis. We both know her chances of survival at this point are pretty slim, but she's still so. . ._perky_. All the time. . ." he trailed off with a sigh. "I mean, how does she do it? I came here with her, but she won't let me stay. She's forcing me to go back to Hopkins. She says she can do this on her own. She's been through so much, already, but somehow. . .she's _here_ - she's still fighting even though she's going to be alone. How can she be so strong even though she knows that she's probably going to. . .die?"

Callie tipped her head back, looking up into the cloudy Seattle sky. Swallowing hard, she tried mightily to fend off the tears this man's sincere words threatened to evoke. "I-I wish I could say something to make you feel better. . ." she looked back toward him, raising her eyebrows when she realized she had just spent the last twenty minutes talking with him without so much as asking his name.

"Oh. . .it's Alex," he supplied, extending his hand. "Alex Karev."

Taking Alex's hand and smiling slightly, she firmly shook it. "Callie Torres," she stated before standing from her seat and dusting off her scrub pants. "I know it's not much, but I will say that - no matter the. . ._outcome_ - we'll do our best to take care of her here, Alex," she softly assured him, needing to, in some way, attempt to ease his pain.

"Thank you," Alex sincerely replied, knowing there really was nothing much she could say to make him feel better, but appreciating her attempt.

Turning from him, Callie started to move back toward the hospital entrance, but something stopped her. Glancing back in his direction, she pushed her hands into the pockets of her lab coat. "You're a great friend, Alex," she offered with a sad smile. "And Arizona might not be showing how scared she is right now, but you know as well as I do that she may not be able to keep up with that forever. . .and when that time comes, when she needs you most, you'll be here. Don't feel guilty about having to leave now, because when she's ready, you'll be here to catch her. . ." she trailed off, her emotions once again threatening to get the better of her.

Alex simply nodded his head. "I will be.

* * *

Entering the cafeteria twenty minutes later, Callie's eyes scanned the room for Miranda Bailey. Thinking back to her conversation with Alex, she couldn't quite understand why she was so affected by his story, but thought a little chat to discuss it with her friend might help clear his haunting words from her mind.

As her eyes wandered the room, she found no sight of the stern little woman she called her best friend. Turning to leave, Callie's eyes suddenly caught sight of a woman seated alone in a back corner of the room.

Stopping in her tracks, Callie was unable to pull her attention away as she watched this woman stare out a large window, the fork in her right hand pushing some unrecognizable food around in a styrofoam to-go box. There was an IV pole positioned next to her, but what really caught Callie's attention was the increased rhythm of her own beating heart, her palms slick with sweat, and the mild stirrings of arousal in the pit of her stomach. As she took in her stunning features, Callie noted blonde curls framing the most beautiful face she had ever seen.

Sure she was going crazy, Callie tried to look away, but as if by some force of nature, the blonde's attention was drawn away from the window toward her, hitting her with the clearest blue eyes she had ever seen. As this woman's gaze locked with hers, everything around Callie seemed to fade and slow, those blue eyes immediately capturing her heart, causing her temperature to rise, butterflies to flutter about in the pit of her stomach, and her knees to literally go weak.

They stared into each other's eyes for ten seconds, ten minutes, ten hours - Callie wasn't really sure. All she was aware of in that moment was the overpowering urge she felt to rush toward this creature - to envelope her into her arms - to passionately lock their lips together in a sensual kiss.

The sensation of someone knocking into her from behind suddenly jolted Callie from her admittedly creepy reverie. Turning around, she glared in the direction of her assailant.

"Shit. Sorry," the man said as he stood up from gathering the bag of potato chips he had just dropped.

Recognizing the face, Callie sighed. "Oh. Hey, Alex. I was just. . .daydreaming," she admitted. "How are you?" she asked as she shifted in place, her body continuing to react to the beautiful stranger her attention had just rudely been pulled away from.

Stuffing a chip into his mouth, he spoke through a mouthful of the salty snack. "I'm good," he admitted. "Umm. . .thanks for earlier. I'm not normally such a. . ._woman_," he said with an embarrassed laugh.

Callie rolled her eyes, waving him off. "It's okay," she assured him with a smile.

Returning her grin, he shoved more chips into his mouth. "Anyway, I better go. I don't want to keep Arizona waiting," he said, quickly brushing past her.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Callie cleared her throat, wondering what the Hell was happening to her. Her heart was still pounding, her stomach now in knots, and when she closed her eyes, she wasn't necessarily surprised to see that pair of crystal clear blue ones gazing back at her.

Absolutely positive that she was losing her mind, Callie slowly turned around to once again chance a glance in the blonde's direction. . .

The sight before her made Callie's blood run cold, her mind racing.

The woman who only moments before had caused her world to shift on its axis was now hugging Alex Karev. The woman who had made her palms sweat and her heart to pound the rhythm of a bass drum in her chest was Alex's friend. The woman who for one crazy moment had made everything in Callie's life make sense was. . .Arizona.

Mouth agape, Callie shook her head, the urge to vomit threatening to overtake her.

No, there was no way that could be right, because. . ._Alex's_ friend _Arizona_ was. . .

Dying_._

* * *

**AN2: **Thanks so much for reading. We really look forward to seeing what you think about this chapter. Reviews/comments are always welcome! Thanks again!


	3. Chapter 2

**Title:** All the Love That We Shared

**Author:** HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author:** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: ** Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17 (For Future Chapters)

**Summary**: We can fight it - we can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **Thanks so much to everyone for continuing to read and review. Let's see what happens next. Enjoy!

* * *

_**Chapter Two**_

* * *

_Sunlight filters through the blinds, slowly rousing me to consciousness as small rays of heat dance across my face. Groggily opening my eyes, I blink a few times, allowing them to adjust to the no longer darkened room. _

_Once fully awake, I stretch my arms and legs, tensing slightly in anticipation of the usual pain that accompanies such a simple act. Surprised when the pain doesn't surface, I immediately grasp my stomach, realizing that I also don't feel the ever present churning that generally sends my body into the fits of heaving and lurching that I have become so accustomed to. _

_I'll have to thank Dr. Bailey for that extra dose of Phenergan she gave me very early this morning. _

_Smiling to myself at the absence of the sensation of immediately needing to vomit, I repeat the movement of my arms and legs - the simple exercise granting relief instead of discomfort to my generally aching bones and muscles. Propping myself up against the pillows behind me, I look around the room that will be my home for the foreseeable future._

_As far as hospital rooms go, this one is fairly standard - nothing out of the ordinary - crappy motorized bed, crappy bedside table with a pink water pitcher and cup sitting atop it, crappy hard plastic visitor's chairs. Looking over my left shoulder, I spy an IV pole and the machines whose bells, beeps, and whistles have become the symphony I listen to every hour of every day. _

_Glancing back at my bedside table, I notice the presence of a tray of what I assume is my breakfast. Pleasantly surprised when my stomach delightfully growls at its aroma instead of betraying me, I immediately reach for the cup of coffee, sighing contentedly as the hot liquid assaults my tongue._

_It's amazing how much I've missed the flavor of coffee, but I guess it's not that hard to believe since it's been my drink of choice since my first year of college, and for hospital coffee, this tastes pretty damn good. Unfortunately, since I've been sick, nothing tastes right - everything lacks flavor - but today, this coffee is really hitting the spot. _

_Deciding against the toast that looks too dry and the scrambled eggs that look too. . .rubbery, I dig into a small container of fruit salad. As the flavor of a piece of fresh pineapple assault's my senses, I moan in pleasure. _

_God, how I've missed food. Like really missed it. _

_After devouring the small bowl of pineapple, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and kiwi, I decide not to press my luck. Realizing that my lack of nausea could change at any minute, leaving me with the need to bury my face in one of those pale yellow emesis basins I've become so fond of, I push the tray away. Taking one last sip of my coffee, I grab the copy of Us Weekly that Alex left for me a couple days ago. _

_As I flip through the rag - my mind becomes numb with the latest gossip about Kim Kardashian's actual dress size. _

_She says she's a size two. Yeah, right! With hips like that? Honey, you aren't kidding anyone._

_Sighing to myself, I set the magazine aside as I stare out into the hallway, awaiting Alex's arrival. Watching all the foot traffic outside my room, my thoughts wander to my best friend, a small smile tugging at my lips._

_Alex Karev, resident bad boy of Johns Hopkins somehow is my best friend. Chuckling at the irony of that statement, I shake my head. How exactly did that happen? He's rude. He's crass. He's. . .frowny. And I. . .well, I'm me. I'm perky. I'm polite. I'm. . .smiley. _

_No one else seems to understand our friendship other than us, and well, those people who don't, just suck. It's none of their business, anyway. If they don't get it, then they can just shove it. I don't care, because we love each other. He is the brother I so desperately miss, and I. . ._

_I guess I'm his rock. Once he realized that I wouldn't be falling into bed with him, we bonded. We became friends. Best friends. I'm the only person who has ever taken the time to actually listen to what he has to say, and because of that he shows me respect. He shows me kindness. _

_He's a good man. _

_Alex has my back, and I have his. We make each other laugh. We know each other - like really know each other. Most people don't believe me, but the Alex Karev I know is loyal, and he is brave. He's the man who would deck a guy right in the face for so much as looking at me crossways. He's the man who didn't even flinch as he held back my hair while I puked my guts out. The man who told me that I wasn't alone when I admitted to him that I was scared. _

_The Alex Karev I know is my best friend and one of the few people I truly love._

_As thoughts of Alex move from happy ones to sad, the smile slips from my face as my heart begins to ache. He's leaving tomorrow. . .and while I know I'll miss him, I need him to go. Watching him watching me is just too much to bear. His warm brown eyes exude nothing but sympathy and pain, and if I have to be strong for both of us, I'm not sure I'll have the energy to keep up the fight. _

_I know how sick I am. I know the odds - I've read all the literature and talked to all the professionals. I know that my chance of survival decreases with each passing day, and so does Alex. _

_Still, though. . .I'm determined to fight. _

_My father taught me to be a good man in a storm, and I have been, but I can't be a good man in a storm for myself if I have to be one for Alex, as well. I just don't have it in me. _

_Determined not to let my dismal thoughts ruin my good day, I force myself to perk up. I really need a good day and as I await Alex's arrival, my attention once again focuses on the people who pass by my door. _

_Blonde hair. Short. Green Scrubs. Woman. Red hair. Tall. Pink scrubs. Man. Brown hair. . ._

_Could my life be any more boring? Is this what it has come down to? Describing each person who walks past? I really need to get out of this bed. Where the Hell are you, Alex? Forget about it. I don't need him. I can take a walk on my own. I'm a big girl. _

_Just as I'm swinging my legs over the side of the bed, another passerby catches my attention._

_Beautiful. Hot. Stunning. Latina. _

_Every day for the past week, I've seen the soulful chocolate brown eyes of this woman stare into my room three or four times a day. Not that I'm complaining. Quite the contrary, actually, because this mysteriously exotic stranger is clearly going out of her way to meander past my room as much as she can, and who am I to argue with that._

_Did I mention that she's beautiful? Those eyes. That silky black hair. Perfect caramel skin. I may be sick, but I'm not dead. . .yet, and she is just. . .yummy._

_Beyond her deliciousness, I know little about this woman other than two things. . . _

_One – she's a doctor here. Her scrubs and white lab coat give that much away, and. . _

_Two - a week ago in the cafeteria, my gaze locked with hers, and we stared into each other's eyes for ten seconds, ten minutes, ten hours - I'm not really sure. All I was aware of in that moment was that I was on top of the world - not sad, not worried - not that I've been given a potential death sentence. For that brief period, my world shifted on its axis causing everything in my life to become clear - to make sense._

_Call me crazy, or maybe just idiotic, but I know without a doubt that the raven haired beauty who walks past my room every day with eyes that cause butterflies to flutter about in my stomach is someone I just have to meet. And soon. . .because if I have to watch those eyes roam my face for only a few seconds at a time throughout the day without getting to touch that smooth skin or kiss those plump lips, it might not be the Leukemia that kills me, but something else entirely._

* * *

"Hey. . .Bailey! Wait!" Callie called down the hallway, watching as her friend was about to disappear into room 1614. "Bailey!"

Miranda spun around to face her friend. "What, Torres?"

A sheepish look covered the raven haired Latina's face. "I. . .well. . .I was just. . .what are you doing?"

Miranda's brow furrowed as she glared at the woman blocking her path. "What am I _doing_? What does it look like _I'm_ doing?" she huffed, trying to move past Callie.

Seeing the blonde haired patient inside the room look up from the iPad resting in her lap, Callie grabbed Miranda by the arm. "Wait. Stop. Get down!" she warned, quickly pulling the shorter doctor down to duck below the window of the room.

Miranda immediately popped back up, brushing herself off. "What has gotten into you?" she asked, noticing as her friend continued to duck and weave beneath the line of sight of the window. "Get the Hell off the floor, Torres!"

Callie crawled away from the window, grabbing Miranda by the leg as she coerced her into a nearby conference room. "You mind telling me why you are crawling on the floor like some kind of animal and dragging me behind you like I'm on a damn dogsled?" she hissed.

Callie straightened up once they were both safe behind the closed door. "I-I. . .well, I just wanted to ask you about your. . .new patient," she stammered. "Arizona, right?"

Miranda skeptically regarded her friend. "Yeah, so? You know her?"

"I. . .well. . .no. I don't know her. . ._per se_. . ."

Miranda waved her hand in front of Callie's face before smacking her on the arm. "Get to the point, Torres. I've got things to do."

Callie clasped her hands in front of her body, nervously wringing them as she considered her words. "Umm. . .how is she?"

Miranda curiously watched her friend as she anxiously swayed back and forth, her caramel hands turning white as she gripped them tightly together. "She's not so good," she finally admitted. "She just finished another round of chemo yesterday. She's been throwing up for days. . .but today seems to be a better day. She's very ill, Torres."

Callie's shoulders slumped upon hearing her friend's words. "Yeah, I know," she softly stated. "Have you found a donor, yet?"

Miranda shook her head. "No, but she needs a period of remission before we can go there, anyway. She's worse than I originally expected. She's. . .wait! Why do you care so much about Arizona Robbins, anyway?"

Callie's eyes widened. She honestly had no idea the answer to that question, but ever since the ten seconds she spent staring into her clear blue eyes a week ago, that face was something she simply could not rid her mind of. "I. . .I don't know. I guess I was just. . ._curious_."

Miranda watched as Callie looked down at her hands. Reaching out, she touched her friend's forearm. "It's not good, Callie. Not good at all."

* * *

An hour later, Callie once again found herself standing at the nurses' station outside of room 1614. "I'm like a fucking creepy ass stalker," she mumbled to herself with a shake of her head. "What am I doing here?"

"Sounds to me like you're losing your damn mind," Miranda said, coming up to stand behind her. "Are you lost, Dr. Torres?" she sarcastically asked. "Because this floor is a long way away from the OR and the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit where you like to spend most of your time."

Callie dramatically rolled her eyes as she looked down upon the diminutive doctor. "I. . .uh. . .had a_ consult_."

"Uh-huh. Sure you did," Miranda countered before sauntering off in the opposite direction.

Turning back around, Callie quickly ducked behind a supply cart when she saw the door to room 1614 open. Intently gazing upon the door, she was unable to restrain the smile that began to tug at the corners of her lips. Though there was exhaustion evident on the blonde's face as she stepped out of her hospital room with Alex Karev at her side, there was a light in her blue eyes - a light that Callie hadn't seen since their brief encounter in the cafeteria a week before.

As if some force of nature propelled her to do so, Callie instantly stepped forward to say hello to Alex and to introduce herself to Arizona, but before she could move an inch, her pager began to blare. "Damn it," she hissed, quickly looking down at the offensive device.

At that very moment, Arizona turned in the direction of the noxious sound, but a streak of raven hair was the only thing to catch her eye as a familiar woman in a white lab coat rushed down the hall.

* * *

Later that night, Callie lay alone in the middle of her bed, the conversation she had with Miranda earlier that day replaying loudly in her head.

_She's very ill. . ._

_She's worse than I originally expected. . ._

_Why do you care so much about Arizona Robbins?_

_It's not good, Callie. Not good at all. . ._

Callie closed her eyes as she hugged a pillow close to her body - the vision of those haunting blue eyes never leaving her mind. They were with her all the time - in the OR, in the shower, at the grocery store. In the past week, not a day had gone by without her envisioning the beautiful face of a woman she had never even met.

Blowing out an exaggerated breath through pursed lips, she slowly opened her eyes, staring off into the emptiness of her bedroom now lit by nothing more than the silvery glow of the moon above and the streetlights below.

Why couldn't she get Arizona Robbins out of her head?

What was it about Arizona that compelled her to see the beautiful blonde every single day?

What was it about this woman that had her acting like an idiot - hiding and snooping, questioning Miranda for details - crawling around on the hospital floor in an attempt to hide from her?

Callie shook her head as she softly chuckled just thinking about her own antics, though she immediately stopped short when a random thought flashed through her confused mind.

People only acted like this when they were. . .

Callie closed her eyes, rolling onto her back before harshly banging her head against the pillows beneath her. "Bailey's right. I _am_ losing my damn mind," she quietly muttered, her gaze now trained directly up at the ceiling. Placing her hand over chest to feel the beating within, she once again saw the woman whose face had consumed her dreams every night for the past week.

What was it about Arizona Robbins that was stealing her heart?

* * *

The following morning, Alex Karev stood near the doorway, silence the only sound permeating Arizona's hospital room. Chancing a glance at his best friend, he found her adamantly refusing to look in his direction.

He hated this - the awkwardness, the uncomfortableness between them. It just wasn't them. Arizona rarely got very emotional, a quality he valued most in his friend, but right now - in this moment - his heart pounded in his chest as he tried to swallow the uncomfortable lump that had taken up residence in his throat. Sighing loudly, he slowly approached her bed. "Arizona. . ." he tentatively trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

Arizona had tried all day to hold at bay the tears that threatened to spill, but hearing his uncharacteristically soft voice say her name was all it took - the dam she had constructed breaking as she burst into tears. "I-I'm sorry. . .God, I'm so sorry," she cried, a shaky hand wiping at her own tears.

Alex instinctively lunged forward, his arms wrapping around his best friend as his own tears began to flow. Holding her tightly as she struggled against him, his heart broke as he witnessed the first tears from her that he had seen in months. "Arizona. . ."

"Don't. Please, Alex. Just. . .don't," she cried, though she wasn't sure what she was pleading for. She was the one who told Alex he had to go back. She was the one who insisted she would be fine without him, but now that he was actually about to leave she was suddenly terrified of being alone.

Pulling back, Alex cupped Arizona's pale face in his hands. Looking into teary blue eyes, his heart sank into the pit of his stomach. He loved Arizona. How could he not? She was probably the only person in his life that he actually cared about. Arizona was his family, and to see her crying - to see her this upset and scared - made him want to beat the crap out of something. . ._anything_. "You don't have to be sorry, Arizona. . .and I don't have to go," he insisted. "I can stay. Fuck Hopkins! You're more important to me, anyway!"

Arizona couldn't help the chuckle that left her throat upon hearing Alex's heated words. This was why she loved him. He was an ass ninety-seven percent of the time, but no matter what, he always had her back. He loved her, and she knew it. Sniffling through her tears, she shook her head as she placed her smaller hands over the masculine ones framing her face. "I w-wanted to be. . .strong. . .f-for you. I-I'm sorry. I see how much this hurts you. . .Alex. I need to b-be. . .strong," she stammered between gasping breaths.

Alex roughly shook his head. "Don't be stupid, Arizona! You don't have to do anything for me. You don't always have to be the strong one. Let me. . .let me help. I'll stay. All you have to do is say the word," he earnestly replied.

"No!" Arizona urgently insisted. "You have to go. I-I c-can't do this with you here. I'm sorry, Alex. Please understand. You have to u-understand," she cried.

The sound of Arizona's pain ripped through Alex nearly rendering him speechless. Leaning in, he shakily placed a kiss on his best friend's forehead. "I'll go. . .because I do understand. But, you have to promise me something, Arizona. . ."

Arizona looked up into his light brown eyes. "Anything," she whispered.

"I know you're trying to protect me, and I understand that. Because that's how we work, right?"

Arizona nodded, her heart swelling with the love and devotion she felt toward her friend.

"But, I need you to promise me that you'll call me. . .for _anything_," he continued. "If you want me to come back, I'll be on the first plane. I don't need you to be strong for me Arizona, but. . .I do need you to _fight_. Do you hear me? You don't give up. You promise me that. Promise me you'll never give up, or else I'm not going anywhere," he insisted, his voice cracking as tears clouded his vision.

A moan mixed of love and grief fell from Arizona's lips as she threw herself against Alex, her arms locking around his broad shoulders as she rested her head against the crook of his neck. "I promise," she whispered. "I promise you. You're my best friend in the world, Alex Karev," she continued, her arms holding onto him like a life raft upon a tumultuous sea.

Alex squeezed her back, sure his heart had never before felt such emotion. "Right back at you, Robbins. Best. Friend. EVER," he sincerely stated, hoping that this would not be the last time he felt the warmth of Arizona's comforting embrace.

The two friends held onto each other for several long moments before Arizona quickly pulled back. Trying to put her stoic mask back in place, she wiped her tears, feeling slightly mortified that she had just broken down. Taking Alex's hand, she gently squeezed it. "Go. . .or else you'll miss your plane. Text me when you land, okay?" she softly requested.

Swallowing hard, Alex nodded, but refused to let go of her hand. He was terrified to walk away, but at the same time he selfishly knew he needed to run or else he was going to break down completely. He needed to protect her, and she certainly didn't need to see that.

Sensing Alex's reluctance, Arizona graced him with her best watery smile.

"Okay. . .I'm going," Alex conceded. Leaning forward, he once again kissed her forehead, lingering this time for a few seconds. "You'll call me if you need me?"

"Yes."

"You'll behave and do what the doctors tell you?"

"Yes, Alex," she laughed.

"You'll. . ._fight_."

"I. . .yes. Of course."

"You'll remember that you're not alone and that I love you. . ."

Forehead against forehead, Arizona blew out a shaky breath. "Couldn't forget it if I tried."

Standing up, Alex looked one more time into his best friend's eyes in an attempt to convey everything he felt. "I'll talk to you soon," he murmured.

Arizona nodded her head, her emotions threatening to once again consume her. "Goodbye, Alex," she managed to get out, her voice barely audible.

"See you soon, Robbins," Alex replied before stepping out of the room.

Rushing down the hallway toward the elevator, Alex harshly crashed into Callie who had just rounded the corner of the nurses' station with her head buried in a chart. "Would you watch it?!" he immediately spat before continuing down the hall without a care.

"Alex, wait!" Callie called, hurrying to catch up with him. "What's wrong. Is it Arizona? Did she. . .is she. . ."

Alex spun around, his tears no longer contained. "Would you just butt out?" he hissed, though his voice faltered "Just leave me the Hell alone."

Before she could even think, Callie reached out her arms, shocked as she felt the weight of the man in front of her fall into them. As he cried in her arms, she held him tightly, unsure of what else to do. "It's going to be okay. . ."

As quickly as Alex had fallen in her embrace, he was gone. Pulling back, he appeared appalled by his own actions. "I'm sorry. I-I have to go. . .but, I don't. . .I just _can't_ leave her alone."

As Callie followed his gaze toward the closed door of room 1614, she swallowed hard, a lump quickly forming in her throat. "I. . .she won't be alone. I promise," she insisted, her voice thick with emotion and uncertainty. "I'll take care of her."

* * *

After watching Alex Karev disappear behind closing elevator doors, Callie leaned against the cool tiles lining the wall of the oncology ward. Striking the back of her head against them, she mentally berated herself for making such a promise.

Glancing back toward Arizona' hospital room, Callie's initial reaction was to run, but the racing of her heart and the _need_ to see this woman challenged her otherwise. Hesitantly moving forward, she slowly took the twenty steps separating her from the blue eyes that had been preying upon her mind - her every thought, her every emotion - for the past seven days.

Reaching out with a trembling hand, Callie lightly knocked on the closed wooden door. Hearing a faint voice permitting her to _come in_, she firmly grasped the handle, breathing deeply before pushing against it

Peering into the room, Callie's breath caught in her throat when sad blue eyes met her wary chocolate brown. "Oh. . .umm. . .hey," she nervously stammered.

Arizona quickly brushed a stray tear from her ivory cheek, her own breath catching when she saw the depth of emotion swirling sound in the raven haired beauty's eyes. "Hey," came her soft response.

Just as Callie had reacted the first time she laid eyes on her, everything around her once again seemed to fade into the background, those blue eyes peering into the depths of her soul, causing her temperature to rise, her heart to pound, and her knees to turn to jelly.

This time, however, she felt more than that - more than a racing heart and sweaty palms - more than just the tingling of arousal. This time, something told her that this was exactly where she was meant to be - not just right now, but perhaps. . ._forever_.

Taking a tentative step forward, Callie's eyes never faltered from the blue ones staring back at her. She couldn't quite explain it, but deep down, she knew that something big was about to happen - something bigger than her, bigger than Arizona, bigger than any threat of sickness or of death. Something was about to happen that was going to flip her world upside down and change her life in ways she didn't yet understand.

"Arizona, right?" she softly asked, her feet acting of their own volition to propel her closer to the bed.

Arizona's mouth fell agape, surprised that the raven haired beauty knew her name. Losing herself in the depths of emotion she found in this woman's beautiful chocolate eyes, she couldn't help the sobs that once again began to wrack her form.

Callie was powerless to the compulsion pushing her forward and was instantly at the blonde's side as she watched her frail body shake and tremble with each falling tear. Quickly sitting on the edge of the bed, she carefully gathered her into her strong embrace, holding her tightly as she gently rocked her in an attempt to fend off everything this cruel world had placed upon her.

And with that gesture, everything in Callie's world seemed to make sense. Nothing else mattered - this was where she was supposed to be - this was her reason for living.

Kissing the top of Arizona's head, Callie's own tears began to fall. "I'm here for you, Arizona," she said in a hushed whisper. "And, I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

**AN2: **So, Arizona and Callie meet at last. What do you think? Reviews and comments are always welcome! Thanks again, and. . .Happy Grey's Day!


	4. Chapter 3

**Title:** All the Love That We Shared

**Author: ** HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author: ** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: ** Callie/Arizona

**Rating: **M/NC-17 (For Future Chapters)

**Summary**: We can fight it - we can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

* * *

_**Chapter Three**_

* * *

"Here ya go," Callie happily offered as she stepped up to the beautiful blonde seated in an infusion chair of the chemotherapy center of SGMW. "A banana popsicle for you, pretty lady."

Arizona looked up from the game of _Song Pop_ she was playing on her iPad. "Thank you, Callie," she said with a smile. "How are you always able to find the good ones?"

Callie softly chuckled as she took a seat on the stool next to her. "Oh, I have my ways," she teased. "Besides, you're the only person I know who likes the banana ones."

A smile tugged at pink lips, though her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Leaning back into her chair, Arizona closed them, a sigh releasing from her lungs.

Noticing the fatigue etched across the blonde's every feature, Callie reached out to place a gentle hand against her forearm. "Hey. You okay?" she asked.

Arizona slowly opened her weary eyes. "Yeah. _Fantastic_," she replied, though the quiver in her voice betrayed her response.

Callie tilted her head to the side, her eyes gazing deeply into the blue ones staring back at her. "No, you're not," she matter-of-factly replied.

Arizona let out an exaggerated sigh. How could this woman read her so well after knowing her for less than three weeks? Shaking her head and resigning herself to the fact that she simply was unable to lie to Calliope Torres, she once again rested back against the pillow behind her. "I-I'm. . .I'm just _so_ tired, Callie. _All_ the time."

Callie rubbed a soothing hand along the creamy skin of Arizona's arm, unsure of what to say. "What can I do?" she decided to ask.

Arizona worried her bottom lip between her teeth, a mischievous grin soon lighting her face. "Play the game, rock star. It's your turn."

Callie smiled, taking a bite of her own cherry popsicle before reaching into the pocket of her lab coat to find her phone. Looking down at the app notifications, she realized it was indeed her play in their ongoing game. "You are _so_ going down, Robbins," she played, though deep down she knew the blonde was trying to deflect this conversation.

Arizona watched as Callie's brow furrowed in concentration, her fingers tapping at the screen of her phone. With the Latina's attention on the game, a contented sigh fell from the blonde's mouth, a smile playing on her lips as she took in the innocent beauty of the woman seated next to her.

Three weeks ago, she didn't know Calliope Torres from Adam, but now, she felt as if they had known each other for years. Watching as Callie happily played the game, Arizona thought back to how content she felt in the warmth of Callie's arms. She had been initially shocked and appalled at herself for breaking down in front of the beautiful stranger, but as the Latina continued to embrace her, she felt good - she felt at peace - she felt as if everything in her world made sense. Nothing else mattered - this was where she was supposed to be - this was her reason for living.

"You're staring."

The sound of Callie's voice jolted Arizona from her silent reverie. "I-I was _not_," she argued, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was just making sure you weren't cheating_._"

Callie chuckled softly, her own eyes falling into and drowning in the cerulean pools staring back at her. Clearing her throat when she realized her gaze had lingered too long, she lowered her eyes, a blush rising over her chest and cheeks. Taking a moment to regain her composure, she looked back in Arizona's direction. "I'll have you know, Arizona Robbins, I am _not_ a cheater. I am the most loyal person you will ever meet."

Arizona found herself once again amazed by this woman. Where had she come from? Where had she been all of her life? Why were they meeting just now when things in her life were much less than stellar.

With a quick wink, Arizona took the last bite of the forgotten banana popsicle in her hand before tossing the wooden stick into the trash can.

Callie watched mesmerized as Arizona licked the remnants of the sweet treat from her lips. God how she wanted to be the one licking those lips - tasting their own personal sweetness mixed with the sugary delight. When Arizona once again caught her staring, Callie was, this time, unable to divert her gaze. With no power over her own actions, she leaned forward, her eyes never faltering from the bright blue ones she had fallen in love with weeks ago.

At the same time, Arizona also leaned forward, her body moving of its own volition with no strength to stop what she knew was about to happen.

As their eyes closed, their lips mere inches apart, Callie suddenly jumped back much to Arizona's chagrin. Immediately jumping from the stool she had been seated upon, the Latina distanced herself from the disappointed blonde just as Miranda Bailey appeared around the curtain area.

Smirking at the uncomfortable Latina standing next to her, Arizona let out a breath when she realized the reason for Callie's sudden retreat. "What's the word, doc?" she asked after clearing her throat.

Miranda's brow furrowed as she watched her best friend nervously wring her hands, a signature gesture of Callie Torres that she had leaned over the years meant one of two things.

She was either _nervous_. . .or _guilty_. Or _both_.

Deciding to address _that_ issue later when she could get her friend alone, she instead turned her attention toward her patient. "Well, Arizona. I have good news and bad news."

Callie's interest piqued, her ears perked up as Miranda began to speak, however realizing that she might be intruding, she determined that it might be best for her to leave. "I well. . .I'll just. . .I'll see you later."

Arizona anxiously looked toward the retreating Latina. "No, Calliope. It's okay. You can stay," she quickly replied.

Callie immediately turned around at the sound of Arizona's voice, Miranda's head also snapping in her direction. The Latina's eyes shifted between her curious best friend and the rather nervous looking blonde. Slowly stepping back into the curtain area, she shyly returned to the seat she had just vacated.

Miranda skeptically regarded her friend before once again looking toward her patient. "So, which news first? The good or the bad?"

Arizona let out an exaggerated sigh through pursed lips. "Good first, please," she softly requested.

Callie wanted to reach out and take Arizona's hand, but her conflicted mind refused to allow her to do so. Instead, she simply wheeled herself closer to the infusion chair, hoping her presence would provide some amount of support to the beautiful blonde seated next to her.

"Okay, then," Miranda began. "Well, the good news is. . .we found a donor," she stated with a smile.

Callie couldn't help the megawatt grin that consumed her entire face as she looked in the direction of the stunned blonde whose mouth opened and closed several times with no words coming out. "And the bad?" she took it upon herself to ask.

Miranda glared at her friend. Something was up with these two, and she was determined to find out what.

Swallowing hard, Arizona finally found her own ability to make words. "Yeah, Dr. Bailey," she croaked. "What's the _bad_ news."

Miranda turned her attention back toward her patient. "Well, there are actually two things," she admitted. "First off, I want to try another round of chemo before the transplant. You're red blood cell and platelet counts aren't quite where I want them to be."

"And the second?" Arizona quickly asked.

"Well, unfortunately, the chemo drugs we'll use this time are _definitely_ going to cause you to lose your hair."

Callie and Miranda both watched as Arizona visibly digested that last bit of information. Surprised when she plastered on a dimpled grin, neither could help returning her infectious smile. "Well, it won't be the first time," she replied, her voice unwavering. "I have to say, though, I'm a little pissed. Do you know how long it took my hair to grow back to this length?" she asked, an ivory hand stroking the wavy blonde locks that reached half way down her neck.

"And it will grow back, _again_," Callie assured her with a gentle pat on Arizona's knee, their eyes once again locking.

Witnessing the comfort evident in their nonverbal behavior, Miranda shifted nervously. "So, are you okay with this course of treatment?" she questioned, purposely interrupting their moment.

Turning back toward her doctor, Arizona simply nodded as she swallowed the gigantic lump that had instantaneously formed in her throat. "Yes, Dr. Bailey. I am _more than _okay with it."

* * *

Later that evening, Callie found herself walking toward room 1614, the same room she had, just three weeks prior, stood outside of promising a complete stranger to take care of his friend, an equally complete stranger. Thinking back on those three weeks, however, she realized that, while they were certainly clouded by confusion at her decision, along with a mountain of grief and despair, they were also quite possibly the happiest three weeks she had ever experienced.

There was just something about Arizona Robbins. At first glance, she was definitely _hot_, but beyond that, once Callie really started talking to her, she knew that she was _so_ much more. Intelligent. Funny. Caring. Spunky. Maybe even a little _quirky_, but in Callie's mind, she was simply _amazing_.

Grinning like a fool, Callie cleared her throat in an attempt to compose herself as she knocked on the closed wooden door.

"Come in," a voice immediately answered.

Peeking her head inside the room, Callie smiled as she watched Arizona kicking her legs back and forth as she sat perched on the edge of the bed, phone held to her ear. Taking Arizona's silent cue to sit down, she quietly waited for the blonde to finish her conversation.

"Yes, Alex. I'll be fine," Arizona stated with a roll of her eyes. "No, Alex. You don't need to come for the transplant. . .I'm sure. Besides, I'm not even sure when it's scheduled for." "Yes, Alex. Dr. Torres has kept her promise."

Callie smiled as she listened to the one sided conversation. Alex Karev really was a good friend to Arizona, and she could definitely see herself reacting the same way if Bailey were in a similar situation.

"Speaking of. . .she just walked in," Arizona continued, smiling at the Latina seated across the small room from her. "Okay. I promise to call you when I find out anything at all. Goodnight, Alex."

With that, Arizona ended the call before tossing her phone onto the bedside table. "So, _Dr. Torres_, to what do I owe this late night visit?" she teased.

Callie smiled as she stood from her seat. "Well, I was just on my way home and wondered if you needed anything," she replied as she stepped closer to the blonde. "I could bring you breakfast in the morning or. . ._anything_ else you might want."

"I think I'm good," Arizona stated, her eyes scanning the tight dark jeans and leather jacket adorning the Latina's deliciously curvy form.

Callie blushed, the blonde's ogling not going unnoticed. "Okay, well. . .umm. . .I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then."

Arizona's eyes snapped up to meet the luscious chocolate ones of the beautiful woman standing before her. Nodding, she then watched as Callie moved to leave the room. "Oh, Callie. . .wait!" she exclaimed. "There is something. . ."

Callie turned back around, her eyebrows rising in question.

"Umm. . .will you be there?" Arizona shyly asked. When Callie didn't respond, she fiddled nervously with the hem of the crisp white hospital sheet beneath her. "Will you be at my treatments this week? And for the transplant?"

Callie smiled as she shifted her purse on her shoulder. "Absolutely, Arizona," she replied without a moment's hesitation. "If you want me there, I'll be there."

* * *

And she was. Callie may have been teasing a little when she told the blonde that she was the most loyal person she would ever meet, but that fact also rang true. She wasn't a cheater, and she was, for some reason beyond her control, committed to Arizona Robbins more than she had ever been to any other person in her life.

Stepping into the familiar curtain area of the infusion center a few days later, Callie immediately stopped short, her smile slipping when she caught sight of Arizona appearing more fragile and ill than she had ever seen her.

Her flawless ivory skin now reflected an eerie shade of grey, her lips dry and cracked, her usual bright eyes, dark and sullen. Even the smile she forced onto her face upon seeing the Latina wasn't enough to hide her ailing features. Pushing the dismal thoughts that immediately sprang forth to the furthest recesses of her mind, Callie assumed her usual position on the stool next to Arizona's infusion chair. Rolling closer to her across the tiled floor, she pulled one of the blonde's clammy hands between her own. "You okay?" she asked before reaching into her pocket with one hand for her phone.

"I'm okay, Callie," Arizona lied. "I-I've just had a terrible morning, that's all."

Callie regarded the blonde with sad, concerned eyes. "Are you nauseous? I can get you something for. . ."

"You're not my doctor, you're my. . ."

"Well then, I'll page Bailey. She can get you something, or I'll. . ."

"Please, Callie. Really. I'm okay," Arizona insisted, though the faintness of her voice spoke otherwise. "I'm just glad you're here."

Callie sighed as she squeezed Arizona's hand. "Give me your phone," she insisted, unable to relent to the blonde's requests. "I'll call Alex or-or your parents. Let me call someone for you."

Arizona shook her head, irrational anger at Callie's persistence bubbling within her. "I said _NO_, Dr. Torres!" she coldly snapped. "You're not calling Alex, and you _certainly_ aren't calling my parents."

Callie jumped backed at Arizona's exclamation as if she'd been slapped. Removing her hand from the ivory one within her grasp, she turned away, fighting mightily against the unwanted tears that now threatened to fall. "I-I'm sorry," she softly stated, quickly brushing away a lone tear that leaked from her eye to trail down her cheek.

Upset by her own outburst, Arizona sighed, reaching out a shaky hand to rest on Callie's shoulder. When the Latina didn't immediately turn back toward her, she rubbed her temple with her free hand in an attempt to ward off the ever present headache she felt creeping up behind her eyes. "My parents. . ._don't know_," she softly admitted.

Upon hearing Arizona's hushed admission, Callie slowly turned around to face her. "What?" she spat, shocked by the blonde's admission. "How can they. . .how do you. . ._why_?"

Arizona rolled her eyes, the ache behind them growing more persistent. "It's not your place to judge me, Callie," she firmly stated. "You don't even know me!"

"Maybe not, Arizona, but I know enough to realize that you can't do this on your own. You should tell your parents."

"You don't get to decide what I _should_ and _should not _do, Callie! I've been through all. . ._this_ before. I _know_ what I'm doing."

Callie wanted to scream - she wanted to yell. She wanted to argue. She wanted to knock some sense to the stubborn woman seated next to her, but she knew she had no right. Clasping her hands together, the Latina nervously looked down at them. "You're right," she hesitantly relented. "It's not my place. . ." she trailed off, slowly standing to exit the curtain area.

Arizona sadly watched as the woman she had become so fond of over such a short time moved further away from her. Feeling lost and scared, she stood from her seat to halt her escape, though she immediately fell back into the chair when she realized her fatigued legs wouldn't hold her and that she was attached to the stationary IV pole behind her chair. "Callie, wait!" she called. "Please. . .let me explain."

With her hand poised to pull back the curtain to allow her escape, Callie halted in place. Considering her options, she loudly sighed as she slowly turned around to face the blonde. "Arizona, I. . ."

"Please, Calliope," she begged. "Just hear me out. _Please_."

As much as she knew she needed to protect herself - that she needed to run - Callie was wholly incapable of doing so. She was powerless to the forces that drew her to Arizona - defenseless to her need to be in the presence of this woman - incapacitated by her charm and beauty.

Resigning herself to the fact that there was a power much greater than herself now in charge of her life, Callie silently stepped back into the curtain area, calmly resuming her perch upon the rolling stool that had become her own over the past several weeks. Unsure of what to say, she simply nodded, permitting Arizona the opportunity to explain.

Searching Callie's face for any ounce of judgment and finding none, Arizona took a deep breath, steeling herself for the story she was about to tell. "My parents are wonderful," she softly began. "They've always been understanding and supportive of every single thing Timothy and I have ever done. When I. . ."

"Timothy?" Callie interrupted.

Arizona looked up toward the ceiling as tears began to well in her melancholy eyes. "My brother," she stated before glancing back at the Latina. "Anyway, when I was first diagnosed, my parents were there. They were at every appointment and every test. They were there for all of it."

"And now?"

Arizona huffed. "They think I came to Seattle because I transferred residency programs," she uneasily admitted. "After the Leukemia went into remission the first time, and things went back to normal, we all were _so happy_. . ." she trailed off as a tear escaped her eye and trickled down her pale face.

Scooting closer to her, Callie reached up to swipe the wetness from Arizona's cheek bone. "It's okay," she offered in a hushed whisper. "I'm here, and I'm listening."

Arizona held Callie's concerned gaze for a moment, but then her somber eyes fell to her lap. "We were so happy, but then. . .I got a call. From my dad. . ."

Callie squeezed Arizona's hands in her own, attempting to channel all the strength she possibly could into this broken woman's soul.

Continuing to look down, Arizona's shoulders began to shake as silent tears leaked from her eyes. "I-I. . .he said that Timothy had been. . .k-killed. In an explosion. A roadside bomb exploded in northern Iraq, killing T-Timothy. . .and three other members of his platoon," she stammered, her watery blue eyes finally reaching Callie's teary chocolate ones. "It was awful, Callie. I-I had only been in remission for a few months when he died. My parents had been through so much, already," she rambled. "He's gone, Callie, and now I-I-I just _can't_ put them through this again. Especially not after they've already lost one child. Not now."

With that, Callie immediately stood, pulling the weeping blonde into her embrace. Holding her tightly as she continued to cry, she whispered soothing words into her ear as she stroked her thinning blonde hair. "You're amazing, Arizona. You're the strongest person I know."

Sniffling softly, Arizona slowly pulled back from the cocoon of Callie's comforting arms, hastily wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry," she stated, her voice choked with tears. "I always seem to be crying on your shoulder."

Callie smiled as she tucked a stray lock of blonde hair behind Arizona's ear. As if propelled by forces completely beyond her control, she leaned forward as Arizona did the same, both dizzy with the multitude of emotions that were now coursing through their bodies.

It was almost too much. Neither had ever before experienced such an intense congregation of feelings and emotions together at the same time. It was difficult to explain in words - it was just something they felt.

Meeting in the middle, their eyes locked, a curiosity both recognized deep within their souls that made them scared to death, but at the same time reflected a bravery so powerful they wanted to cry. Without further hesitation, Arizona reached forward, her ivory hands cupping the smooth caramel cheeks in front of her.

Leaning down as Callie moved up, Arizona's lips unmistakably met the gorgeous Latina's in a gentle caress, both convinced that behind the darkness of their now closed eyelids, they could see fireworks that sparked and popped in their ears as the blood flowed vividly throughout both of their bodies. Pressing herself into Arizona's form, Callie's fingers dug into the covered flesh at the top of the blonde's thighs. She didn't cling - she didn't ravage or devour - but instead, met Arizona head on in an equal exchange of passion, energy, and adoration.

But, just as quickly as the kiss had begun, Callie's full lips were gone from Arizona's, the sound of a pager blaring into the silence of the room. "I-I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. . ." Callie nervously trailed off as she quickly moved to exit the curtain area. "Arizona, shit. . .I'm _so_ sorry. I have to go."

And with that, the object of Arizona's affection was gone from her sight, her heart plummeting into her stomach as tears once again welled in her eyes. Shaking her head and blowing out the breath she didn't realize she was holding, she silently chastised herself.

How could she have been so stupid?

How could she have assumed that Calliope Torres would want to be anything more than her friend?

Who wanted to love a dying girl, anyway?

* * *

The following morning, Arizona sat in her usual infusion chair, in the same spot by the window that she had been occupying every day for the past few weeks. Sadly looking around the area, a sigh escaped her lips.

Her surroundings were exactly the same as yesterday - all except one thing. The most _important_ thing.

Callie.

Today, Callie wasn't there.

She had promised to be with Arizona at every one of her treatments and there for her upcoming transplant, but today, the stressed and fatigued blonde sat alone, feeling the most disheartened and discouraged she had felt since her arrival in Seattle.

Closing her eyes, Arizona leaned her head back against the cushioned chair, her own tormented thoughts running through her mind. If she was really honest with herself, she had already guessed that Callie wouldn't show up today, but it still didn't suppress the disappointment she felt when her assumptions turned out to be correct.

Arizona didn't really understand why, but in just a short period of time, she had come to _need_ Dr. Calliope Torres. For reasons beyond her control, the beautiful cardio surgeon had worked her way into Arizona's heart, creating a whirlwind of emotions deep within her soul. She didn't really know _what_ the two of them were - they hadn't exactly defined themselves - but deep down, she was sure that they were so much more than just friends.

The proof was in Callie's words and in her actions. She didn't have to do what she had done - she didn't have to be there for Arizona, but yet, she was. She wasn't just a mere presence in her life, but was consistently there holding her hand, distracting her, making her laugh - making her _happy_ - something the blonde hadn't truly been in a very long time.

Because of Callie, Arizona had forgotten about being in the hospital. She had pushed aside the thoughts of her diagnosis and her impending doom, instead focusing on the raven haired woman whom she had fallen for. . .ass over tea kettle.

And she had _thought_ that Callie felt the same, that she had too felt the burning connection between them, but clearly she was _way off _because as quickly as their kiss had begun, the obviously flustered and freaked out Latina hauled ass out of the room, never to return. Not for the remainder of her treatment, nor to tuck her in and say goodnight before she left for the evening as had become their routine.

Arizona shook her head at the memory of the brief kiss they had shared and its fallout. "I'm such a dumb ass," she muttered to herself as she tapped her thumbs against the iPhone she held in her hands. Callie hadn't so much as texted her or taken her turn at the game of _Song Pop_ they had been playing since the first week they met.

Hearing footsteps approach the closed curtain surrounding her, Arizona's eyes snapped upward, her shoulders immediately slumping when Dr. Miranda Bailey approached her instead of the one doctor she truly wanted to see. Taking a seat on the stool usually occupied by a much taller surgeon, Miranda scooted up next to her patient. "How are you feeling, Arizona?" she asked. "Everything alright?"

Arizona mustered a dimpled grin, though the dullness to her eyes betrayed her. "Yeah, yeah. I'm good," Arizona said, quickly waving off the question.

Noticing not only the sadness in the blonde's eyes, but also the obvious absence of her own best friend who had religiously been attending all of Arizona's treatments, Miranda carefully pondered her words. Deciding to chance a quick question, she furrowed her brow in mock confusion. "Have you seen Dr. Torres, today?" she innocently asked. "I mean, I know she's usually at _all_ your treatments. I've been looking for her all day, but haven't been able to find her, anywhere. I figured she'd be here with you," she innocently continued.

Miranda Bailey was no dummy, she had witnessed the looks passing between the two when they thought no one was watching, and if she knew Callie like she thought she did, she knew that there was cause for concern when it came to her clearly budding relationship with this patient.

Mouth suddenly completely dry, Arizona swallowed hard, worried that she could somehow get Callie into trouble by saying too much. "I-I. . .well, Dr. Bailey. . .I was just going to ask you the same thing," she nervously admitted. "I mean, I know Calliope. . .umm Callie. . .Dr. Torres is your best friend, and I just thought maybe. . ."

"She may be my best friend, Ms. Robbins, but I'm not her keeper. She must be busy right now," Miranda hastily interrupted.

Arizona nodded her head, exhaling a loud sigh. "Yeah, of course. That makes sense. Of course she's busy. I mean, she's a surgeon for God's sake," she anxiously rambled.

Rolling her eyes, Miranda then fixed her gaze with her best intimidating glare. "What's going on between the two of you, Robbins? And don't lie to me," she demanded. "Callie Torres is my best friend, and if there's something going on. . ."

Arizona fidgeted nervously in her seat, the glare emanating from her doctor's eyes more than a little frightening. "I kissed her!" she anxiously exclaimed, causing Miranda to jump slightly at the volume of her outburst. "Yesterday. . .and now she's not here, today! Instead of being here like she promised me she would be, she's off somewhere freaking the Hell out about kissing some random _dying_ stranger! I'm such an idiot! How stupid was I to think that she would ever be interested in. . ._me_? What do I have to offer her? I'm stuck living in a _fucking_ hospital for crying out loud!" she hysterically blathered, tears welling in her eyes.

Bailey quickly stood from her seat, uncomfortably looking around them before hastily pulling the curtain closed. She knew something was going on between the two, but she certainly was not prepared for such an outcry from this patient. "That's enough!" she spat, her eyes wide. "Pull yourself together, Robbins. People are staring at your fool ass!"

Accepting the proffered tissue from her doctor's hand, Arizona loudly blew her nose. "I mean, I barely know her. We only met a few weeks ago, but I feel like I've known her for my entire life," she admitted through her tears. "I'm a fighter, Dr. Bailey, and I don't want to die, but I've already come to terms with the fact that I may not live to see another day. But-but, because of Callie - since I met her - every day I don't wake up wondering if it will be my last, but instead, I wake up thinking about her. Every night, instead of praying that I will have the strength and the courage to fight, I pray that Callie will come to see me the following day. I think. . .I-I think. . .I lo. . ." she trailed off, moist blue eyes widening as the statement she had almost uttered sank in, hitting her with the force of a wrecking ball. "I. . .it doesn't matter, anyway. I've already ruined everything. . ."

Miranda's eyebrows rose as she pointedly regarded the now sobbing patient in front of her. Clearing her throat and feeling slightly out of her depth, she took in the devastation and helplessness she was clearly feeling. "You don't know that you've _ruined_ anything, Arizona," she tried to reassure. Standing up, she straightened her lab coat before holding out a glass of water for the crying blonde. "Drink this and please, try to relax," she insisted. "I'm certain things aren't as bad as you think. Trust me, Arizona, if you can fight Leukemia, then fighting for Callie Torres is going to be a breeze. Keep your head up, Robbins."

Arizona sniffled a few times, again blowing her nose before nodding her head. "Thanks, Bailey," she replied. "Just. . .if you do see her, can you tell her that I'm sorry. Tell her that. . .I _miss_ her."

Choosing to say nothing more, Miranda simply nodded before turning and exiting the curtain area. Everything else on her schedule for the day could wait because right now, she was determined to find her best friend. . .and kick her directly in her ass.

* * *

"Messed up love lives. . .crying on my damn shoulder. . .avoiding me. I'm not dumb. I know you're hiding from me, Callie Torres. Stupid. . .just stupid!" Miranda muttered under her breath as she marched out of the Cardiac ICU, looking left and then right for her AWOL best friend.

She had spent the past hour looking for Callie, but to no avail. She wasn't sure what the Hell she had gotten herself into, but between Robbins and Torres' personal issues, Miranda was sure by the end of the day she would need a stiff drink. Moments away from paging the Latina 911, she headed toward the cafeteria - the only place in the hospital she hadn't yet looked.

Moving swiftly down the corridor, she was halfway to her destination when she heard a muffled sob resonate from behind a closed storage room door. Backtracking a few steps, she suspiciously looked around before pressing her ear against the wooden door. It only took a moment for her to recognize the distinct sound as her crying best friend.

Miranda Bailey had heard that sound several times before - when Callie's ill-fated marriage in their intern year had ended in adultery - when her parents disowned her for being gay or bisexual or whatever she was - when they both had become so exhausted by their residencies that they needed to find the something that made them jump up and down.

The list had become too numerous for her to keep track of, but that wasn't the point. She might not do personal business, but she did do Callie's personal business. She was her friend - her very best friend - and it was clear from the sounds echoing into the hospital corridor that she was hurting.

Gently knocking once, Miranda waited for permission to enter. Hearing Callie's muffled acknowledgement that it was indeed alright for her to come in, she quickly slipped inside before closing the door behind her. Looking around the darkened room, she didn't immediately see her friend, but soon spied her sitting on the floor behind a shelf littered with catheters, oxygen tubing, gauze, and tourniquets.

"You plan on hiding in here all day?"

Watery red rimmed eyes looked in Miranda's direction, the sight of her best friend staring at her with a mix of pity, sympathy, and understanding, causing more tears to slip down Callie's caramel face. "I. . .umm. . .just needed a moment. I'll be fine. You can go," she stated, wiping her eyes and then her nose with a balled up tissue.

Shaking her head, the shorter woman moved closer to her friend before sliding down the wall to sit next to the sniffling surgeon. "I swear to God, Torres. If I can't get back up off the ground after this, you're going to be in trouble," she sternly replied. When Callie didn't respond, the shorter woman decided to continue. "You know, I was _just_ sitting with a certain blonde who was doing exactly the same thing you're doing."

Callie's head instantly whipped to the side to look at her friend. "Is she. . .what's. . .is she okay?" she asked, her voice hoarse from the relentless crying she had been doing since the night before.

"No, she's not," Miranda matter-of-factly answered.

"Well, what's wrong with her?" Callie demanded.

"I'm not exactly sure, you tell me!"

"For God's sake, Bailey!" the Latina snapped. "You're her doctor. . ."

"Hey, now!" Miranda quickly countered. "Don't you go biting _my_ head off. I wasn't the one who promised a dying woman I would be there for her _every day_ and then decide one day to just not show up!"

Callie's face instantly fell, feeling as if her friend had just punched her in the gut. Dropping her head, another choked sob fell from her lips, shoulders shaking as she mumbled some unintelligible words.

Immediately regretting the harshness of her words, Miranda reached over, wrapping her arm around Callie's trembling shoulders. "I'm sorry, Torres. I didn't mean it like that."

Callie once again wiped her nose before resting her head against the smaller woman's shoulder. "Don't apologize, Bailey. I deserved that," she hoarsely whispered. "I did make that promise to her, and then I-I broke it. So now, because of me. . .she's hurting. She's already been through so much. . .hurting her more was the last thing I _ever_ wanted to do."

Saddened further by her best friend's obvious heartbreak, Miranda removed her arm from around her shoulders to grasp her hand between her smaller ones. "Look at me, Callie," she insisted. "You know you can talk to me. What the _Hell_ is going on?"

Callie shook her head, refusing to meet her friend's concerned brown eyes, her grip on Miranda's hand tightening.

"Come on, Callie. Talk to me."

With large crocodile tears dripping down her face and landing on the rough material of her light blue scrubs and lab coat, Callie slowly looked up, completely unable to let go of Miranda's hand.

Seeing the expression on Callie's face was all it took for the oncology doctor to realize what was going on. "Jesus Christ, Torres!" she exclaimed. "You went and fell in love with her, didn't you?"

Callie's eyes widened, knowing the jig was up. Slowly nodding her head, her face scrunched as more tears began to fall. "I. . .I'm sorry. I tried not to. . .but. . .I-I. . .it just happened," she sobbed.

"Of all the stupid things!" Miranda exclaimed, ignoring her best friend's stuttered revelation. "You fell in love with a _patient_? And not just any patient. . .one who could potentially die in only a few months!? What the Hell were you thinking, Callie?"

Callie shook her head. "I-I don't know. Oh my God, Bailey! What have I done?"

Miranda immediately softened upon hearing the desperation present in the Latina's tone. "Well, maybe. . .maybe it's not as bad as you think. I mean. . .this is definitely the dumbest thing you've _ever_ done, but maybe. . ._hopefully_, this transplant will work. Besides, isn't falling in love supposed to make you ridiculously happy? Not incredibly miserable?"

Callie couldn't help but chuckle at Miranda's words. Trust her best friend to always use dry humor as a deflection for the harder stuff - the hardest stuff. "What do I do, Bailey?" she seriously asked.

Miranda pursed her lips, exhaling slowly. "I think you already know the answer to that, Callie. . .or you wouldn't be sitting on this cold ass floor crying your eyes out."

Callie didn't speak, continuing to stare at her friend like a lost puppy in search of a bone.

Rolling her eyes, Miranda groaned as she moved onto her knees, facing the distressed Latina. Taking both of her hands into her darker ones, she gave them a tight squeeze. "I don't have the answers you're looking for, Torres. . .but, I do know a thing or two about love," she softly began. "What I know is that true love comes around rarely, but when it does, you have to grab it, and embrace it. I've known you for a long time, Callie, and I've never seen you this upset," she admitted with a shake of her head. "So, my advice to you is to live for the moment. . ._AND_ to get your ass up off this _nasty_ floor and go tell Arizona you love her. Because, if I have to console one more crying woman today, I will not be held responsible for my actions!"

Laughing aloud and quickly rising to her own knees, Callie threw her arms around the shorter woman. "Thank you, Bailey," she said, thankful that her best friend approved of this situation.

"Enough of this," Miranda stated, nearly crushed by the strength of Callie's embrace. "Quit hugging _me_, and go find your woman."

* * *

With a newfound sense of determination, Callie quickly headed toward Arizona's room at a near run. So many questions swirled around in her mind as she nervously anticipated Arizona's reaction to seeing her.

Would she forgive her for breaking her promise?

Would she understand why she had run?"

Would her feelings be reciprocated?

So many questions with a so many possible answers

Her friends had often warned her about opening her heart so easily only to have it broken, but this time, Callie knew it was different. This was worth it. Arizona was worth it because she was sure that what she was about to gain was something she had only ever dreamed of. It felt terrifying, but oh so fantastic at the same time.

Arriving at room 1614, Callie took a deep breath before lightly knocking. After waiting a moment without receiving a response, she carefully eased open the door. "Damn it!" she swore under her breath upon finding an empty room.

Not deterred, she quickly turned around, determined to track down the blonde haired, blue eyed beauty who had stolen her heart with nothing more than a simple glance. Heading toward the cafeteria, Callie contemplated what the future would look like with the object of her affection.

Would she be able to be strong for Arizona throughout the coming months?

Would she be able to be strong for herself?

Was the potential heartache really worth it?

Before Callie knew it, her feet had propelled her into the cafeteria, her questions immediately answered when she spotted just what she had been searching for seated at the same corner table where she had first spied her nearly a month ago.

Yes.

Yes.

Without a doubt. . ._absolutely_, yes.

Like history before her, as she moved forward, Arizona's head turned, their gazes locking.

Just as before, the world stopped in that moment for Callie because as she came to a standstill in the middle of the busy cafeteria, blue eyes gazed upon her with a fire that made her heart pound harder than ever before. She was too scared to admit it before, but as Arizona slowly stood, her expressive blue eyes reflecting _everything _that Callie felt, she realized that she had fallen in love with Arizona the very first time she ever laid eyes on her.

_Fate. That which is inevitably predetermined; a prophetic declaration of what must be; destiny. _

_Skeptics will tell you that fate isn't real - that it's something meant only for those with their heads stuck in the clouds. _

_I believe otherwise._

_Nothing about how I felt for Arizona wasn't real. She caused my world to spin - to flip upside down on its axis. I believe that her heart was made for me to love, and mine hers. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were destined to be together - that what I experienced with her was love at first sight. _

_There is no definition for love at first sight because it isn't something that can ever accurately be defined. It's instantaneous. It's overwhelming. It's the journey of a lifetime in the span of one single moment that will define who you are for the rest of your life. _

_It's the connecting of two souls. It's a feeling of absolute certainty that this person is the one who completes you - who makes you whole. It's knowing in one small moment that you would lay down your life for this person, that you would kill for them, that you would die for them. _

_It's love at its most powerful. _

_It's how I felt the moment I first saw Arizona Robbins. _

_Was it fate that brought us together? Were we destined to meet one another? Or was it simply love at first sight? Was there a higher power out there that made our hearts find one another? _

_I'm not sure. All I know is that from the first time I laid eyes on Arizona - my life was defined - my history unimportant._

_In that one moment, my future was decided. _

Drawn together automatically, they met in the middle of the cafeteria. The world ceasing to exist outside the two of them as Callie's hands wrapped gently around Arizona's smaller waist. Hearts pounding and pulses racing, Arizona leaned in a fraction, her head tilting to the side, blonde waves framing her sculpted face.

Callie smiled down at her, one breathtakingly stunning smile before their lips met. Unlike the first time, however, there was no hesitation - no indecision. Their mouths moved together perfectly, two sets of eyelids fluttering closed. Pushing forward, Callie gripped harder at the flesh beneath her hands as she got her first taste of the woman who had been haunting her every waking thought.

Arizona's hands moved up to grip long raven locks as her body molded to fit with the taller woman now wrapped around her. Mouths simultaneously opened to allow tongues to dance together. Moans and soft whimpers released, their kiss reaching a level of passion neither had ever before felt.

_It was a kiss unlike any other._

_With a woman unlike any other._

_The most perfect kiss of my life._

_I never want it to end. _

* * *

**AN: **Happy Grey's Day! A big thank you to everyone for continuing to read. Your reviews and comments are always welcome! Thanks again!


	5. Chapter 4

**Title:** All the Love That We Shared

**Author: ** HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author: ** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: ** Callie/Arizona

**Rating: **M/NC-17 (For Future Chapters)

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **Well. . .not much of a hiatus. It turns out that those personal issues that needed my attention turned out to be nothing more than a serious waste of time. Best way to deal with crappy situations or people in your life - get rid of them. Of course you guys will be pleased because now you get a super awesome update! Enjoy!

~Funkyshaz57

* * *

_**Chapter Four**_

* * *

Miranda Bailey raced through the halls of the SGMW, anxiously glancing down at her pager to make sure the words on the display were correct.

_911 Oncology Room 1614._

"Damn it," she muttered to herself as she ran full speed from the elevator down the hallway directly to the room of her best friend's recently declared girlfriend. Bursting through the closed wooden door, she stopped short, her heart racing a mile a minute.

Expecting to see a blonde patient unconscious on the bed and a multitude of nurses and doctors surrounding her with a crash cart prepared to resuscitate her lifeless form, Miranda's eyes widened when she found quite the opposite.

Instead of the hustle and bustle of a code being called that she expected, she was met with the vision of a very alive Arizona Robbins seated alone, cross-legged in the middle of her bed with a dimpled grin covering her face as she stared down at the iPhone in her hands.

"What the Hell, Robbins?" Miranda spat, bending over with her hands on her knees in an attempt to catch her breath. "I thought you were. . .how did you. . .why am I being paged 911 to your room?" she spat.

Arizona distractedly looked up from her phone, the smile never leaving her face. "Callie gave me your pager number. In case I needed anything," she nonchalantly explained. "And right now, I'm in _need_ of something."

Miranda glared at the patient seated before her. "You should have had your nurse page me. . .and _NOT_ 911. I thought your fool ass was dead!"

Arizona looked down at her phone as it buzzed in her hand. Quickly returning Callie's sweet goodnight text, she looked back up at her doctor. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, Bailey," she said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Looking over to the small nightstand situated next to her bed, she reached out to slowly open the top drawer. Pulling something out, she held it up for Miranda to inspect. "I-I. . .need your help."

Miranda took in the sight of the black device in her patient's hand, realization setting in when she saw the electric cord dangling from it. "Arizona, I. . ."

Arizona shook her head, holding up her free hand to halt her doctor's words. "Please, Bailey," she beseeched. "I was going to ask Callie to do it for me, but I. . .I just couldn't. She doesn't need to be the one to do _this_ for me. She shouldn't have to be the one. . ."

Miranda stepped further into the room, watching the array of emotions play across this woman's face. What she saw etched in every one of her features was the same feelings she had seen on the faces of several of her patients, but this woman's expressions were laced with so much more. Fear and anxiety were definitely present in those expressive blue eyes, but also hope, courage, and strength mixed with the newfound sense of love and devotion she felt toward her best friend.

Smiling slightly, Miranda reached out, taking the electric hair clippers from Arizona's shaking hand. "I. . .umm. . .are you sure about this?" she nervously asked.

Arizona sighed. She'd been through this before. The previous time, she was hesitant to shave what remained of her then thinning blonde hair. It had taken her over a week to actually follow through with it, but this time was different. The process of waiting for her hair to fall out was absolutely intolerable - the loose strands driving her insane.

She just needed to do it. Rip it off like a band aid.

"I-I'm sure," she stated, her voice trembling slightly. Plastering on a smile, she blew out a breath. "You think Calliope will still think I'm hot when I'm bald and wearing a turban?" she teased, trying to lighten her own melancholy thoughts, her now sullen eyes quickly lowering to the crisp white sheets covering her legs.

Miranda crouched behind the nightstand to plug in the device. Standing up and switching it on, she then placed her hand at the side of her patient's face, gently forcing her to look in her direction. Met with watery blue eyes, she softly smiled. "I think _Calliope_ will think you're hot no matter what."

* * *

The following morning, Callie hastily rushed through the automatic hospital doors, two cups of piping hot liquid from her favorite coffee shop held tightly in her hands. Quickly changing from her street clothes into her light blue scrubs and lab coat, she immediately made her way toward Oncology Room 1614. This room had become her first stop each and every day since that wonderful afternoon two weeks prior when she had shared a kiss - a kiss envious of that in a Hollywood love story, she might add - with the love of her life.

Practically skipping toward her new girlfriend's room, Callie couldn't keep the cheesy grin off her face - a grin that had taken up permanent residence on her full lips ever since she had admitted to herself that she was completely, head over heels in love with Arizona Robbins.

Sharing pleasantries with the nurses at the station near the blonde haired beauty's room, Callie balanced the to-go cups of coffee in one hand, gently knocking on the closed door with the other.

"Come in," the blonde called.

Callie smiled, pushing the door open with her free hand. Taking two steps into the room, she paused suddenly, her smile fading and her mouth falling slightly agape.

Her reaction not going unnoticed, Arizona nervously shifted the pink silk turban on her head. "I understand if this is too much. I mean. . .I get it. It's. . ." she trailed off, her nerves taking over.

Callie quickly recovered, the smile Arizona loved so much returning to her face. Moving to sit on the edge of her girlfriend's bed, she handed her a cup of coffee. "I'm sorry. I was just surprised, that's all," the Latina softly stated. Reaching out to gently caress a smooth ivory cheek, she then ducked her head to meet her girlfriend's averted blue eyed gaze. "You're just as beautiful now as you were the very first day I saw you, Arizona. _This_. . ." she paused, gently running her fingertip along the edge of the silky pink material covering Arizona's head, ". . .doesn't change a thing. I find you miraculous. . .breathtakingly stunning. I can't stop looking at you."

Arizona felt a blush rise up her chest and onto her cheeks at the sincerity and reverence she recognized in the tone of Callie's voice. Reaching up, her hand covered the one palming her cheek. "Bailey said you might say something like that," she softly admitted.

A chuckle fell from Callie's lips as she leaned forward, nuzzling her nose against Arizona's before capturing her lips in a gentle exploration. Pulling back, she rested their foreheads together before quickly pecking as moist pink lips. "That's because you're all I ever talk to her about."

Arizona smiled before taking a sip of the forgotten coffee in her hand. "Really?" she teasingly questioned. "You talk about little old me? Now, why would you do something like that?"

Callie sipped from her own to-go cup as she playfully rolled her eyes. "Because I love you, you goof."

Arizona's blue eyes widened, her heart nearly beating out of her chest. "You do?" she softly asked, though she wasn't completely surprised by Callie's admission. She assumed that she loved her, and she was positive that she loved the raven haired beauty just as much if not more, but they hadn't yet exchanged those words - admitted the sentiment.

Oh, God. . .how sweet it was to hear those words tumble from Callie's mouth.

Callie shyly smiled, nodding her head. "Of course I do, you moron."

The smile that lit Arizona's face was bright enough to light the entire western seaboard. Leaning forward, she lightly brushed her lips against Callie's before pressing forward, begging for more, her free hand lacing through the soft raven hair at the back of her girlfriend's head. Sucking a full bottom lip into her mouth, she released it with an audible pop. "I love you, too."

* * *

Briskly walking down the hallway, Alex Karev glanced down at his watch for the umpteenth time. Noting that it was just after seven in the morning, he figured that Arizona would still be in her room getting ready to go to breakfast. During their weekly phone calls, she had told him of her newfound love of the hospital cafeteria, opting to dine there for as many meals as possible, instead of remaining in her room.

During their conversations, Arizona had also insisted that she didn't need him to come for her transplant, and he had given staying in Baltimore a moment's thought, but in the end, there was absolutely no way he could stay away. He needed to be present for his best friend, and he was _fairly_ certain she would be happy to see him.

Adjusting the brown paper bag in his hand, he picked up his pace as he hustled through a set of closing elevator doors. Glancing down into the sack, he resisted the urge to steal one of Arizona's favorite chocolate covered sprinkled doughnuts with a caramel center for himself. He was sure his arrival would be okay, but just in case she was mad at him for flying across the country to be with her, at least he was armed. There was no way she'd be able to stay mad at him once he presented her with this sugary delicious bribe.

Reaching room 1614, he immediately noticed the closed blinds, momentarily pausing before pressing forward. Wondering if she could still be sleeping, he looked back down at his watch.

There was no way Arizona Robbins was still asleep at almost eight in the morning - she was always up with the chickens - and if she was still sleeping, it was time for her to get her butt up. Knocking a couple times, he quietly awaited an answer. After a solid minute and another few knocks, he huffed when he continued to receive no reply.

Deciding just to open the door, expecting to see nothing more than an empty room, he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening in shock at the sight before him. "What the Hell?!" he gruffly demanded, the bag of doughnuts slipping from his grasp and spilling onto the floor.

Callie jumped a mile into the air, his vaguely familiar voice echoing around the room. Disentangling herself from Arizona's luscious lips, she quickly turned to find her girlfriend's best friend standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed over his chest, one Hell of a murderous look on his face.

"I. . .umm. . .uh, Alex," Arizona stammered, instantly recognizing the new voice that had just radiated throughout her small room. Straightening the pink turban that Callie's roaming hands had just set askew, she sat up further in the bed. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

Taking a step forward, Alex's deathly glare zeroed in on the anxious chocolate eyes of the nervous Latina. The last thing he expected to see upon entering this hospital room was Arizona - making out with a doctor - and not just any doctor, the doctor who had promised him she would look after his best friend.

Did this harlot doctor have no professionalism at all?

Callie's hand automatically found Arizona's as she attempted to swallow the uncomfortable lump that had taken up residence in her throat. The Latina wasn't easily intimidated, but right now - seeing the redness of Alex's face and the fists clenching and unclenching at his sides - she couldn't deny the trepidation she felt as the man advanced, stalking toward her.

"Alex!" Arizona yelled, trying to get her best friend's attention before he came any closer. She knew that look on his face. She'd seen it numerous times throughout their friendship. It was Alex's look of protectiveness - the look that said _fuck with my best friend, and I'll kick the shit out of you._

Tightening her grip on Callie's hand, Arizona once again raised her voice. "Alex!"

Stepping up next to her bed to face the now standing Latina, Alex paid little mind to the blonde calling his name. He'd deal with her later, but right now his attention was on the raven haired doctor who, to his immense satisfaction, looked completely terrified.

Matching her in height, he puffed out his chest. "I asked you to look after her! My _sick_ best friend. . .who was alone, and this. . ._this_ is what you call looking out for her?!" he hissed through gritted teeth.

Callie swallowed hard. "I. . .it's not what you think, Alex. If you'll just give me. . ._us_ a chance to explain," Callie nervously begged, her voice shaking beyond her control.

"Explain? Explain what, Dr. Torres?" he venomously spat. "You said you'd take care of her because I didn't want her to be alone - that you'd make sure she was okay. You think _this_ is what I meant? _Fucking_ my best friend?!" he ranted, his index finger repeatedly poking Callie in the front of her shoulder. "You should be fired! In fact, the moment after I drag your ass out of here, I'm going to speak to your superior, myself!"

"ENOUGH!" Arizona shouted with an icy edge to her tone, her normally soft spoken voice cutting through the palpable tension in the room.

"Arizona. . ." Alex softly spoke, his tone a direct contradiction to how he was currently feeling.

Arizona held up her hand to stop him. "No! You do _NOT_ get to come in here and talk to my girlfriend like that, Alex. You have no right!" she yelled, throwing her legs over the side of the bed, preparing to stand.

"_WHAT_?! _Girlfriend_? Are you _fucking_ kidding me, Arizona? What the Hell has she done to you?" he snarled, turning his attention back toward a silent Callie. "What the Hell have you said to her, huh?!" he shouted, his temper once again raging.

"Stop yelling at her!" Arizona yelled, kicking her best friend as she swung her dangling legs at her moron of a best friend.

"Hey! What the Hell, Robbins?!" Alex yelped when her slipper clad foot made contact with his shin.

Callie watched as the two best friends stared daggers at each other, neither blinking. She had never seen Arizona look so mad - her normally light blue eyes now a shade darker as she glared at Alex. "I uh. . .sweetie. . .I just going to go," she stammered, quickly pecking at a smooth ivory cheek. "Page me when. . . umm. . .when you're done. Okay?"

Arizona kicked Alex again before turning to sweetly smile at her girlfriend. "Of course, Calliope," she agreed with a nod of her head. "I just need to deal with this _moron_, first."

Callie tried to smile as she backed out of the room, but truthfully the way her girlfriend had just switched from _icy angry Arizona _to _sweet loving Arizona_ made her head spin. It was more than a little frightening.

Closing the door behind her, Callie rolled her eyes, a loud sigh leaving her throat as she quickly moved down the hallway in search of her own best friend.

The moment Callie was out of the room, Arizona focused her attention back on Alex. "Dude, what the Hell was that?" she demanded, exasperated and more than a little pissed.

"Are you serious right now, Arizona?" Alex snapped.

"Uh yes, yes I am," came Arizona's immediate response. "You turn up here when I explicitly asked you not to. You barge into my room without knocking, and then start yelling and trying to intimidate Callie. So yes, Alex. I'm asking you. . .what the Hell?!"

"Well, let me think, Arizona?" Alex sarcastically retorted, his finger under his chin as if he was contemplating something extremely complex. "I come to surprise my best friend - to be with her when she's about to undergo possibly _the most_ important transplant procedure of her life, only to find her groping and _being_ groped by a stranger. Not just any stranger, though - a doctor who works at the hospital where my best friend is about to undergo said important transplant! A doctor who I trusted to look after you. . .not to _fuck_ you!"

Arizona flinched at Alex's vulgar words. It hurt her to hear her best friend so angry, but deep down, she knew people would react like this. Her situation with Callie wasn't exactly _normal, _but she had hoped that Alex would at least hear her out. He meant the world to her, and if he didn't support her on this, she'd be devastated. "We're not. . .it's not like that," she quietly replied, suddenly feeling drained. "I-I. . .I don't want to argue with you, Alex."

Noticing Arizona's softened tone and the way she shyly looked down at her lap while nervously fiddling with the hem of her blanket, Alex cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Arizona," he apologized. "I didn't mean to yell, but. . .what are you doing?" he gently asked, moving to sit on the edge of her bed.

Looking up at her friend's concerned face, Arizona could see the anger still present in his light brown eyes. "I love her, Alex," she stated in a hushed whisper, though the words reverently rang out around the room as she looked him dead in the eye.

Alex hastily stood, shaking his head as anger once again rose within him. "You don't even know her, Arizona. This shouldn't even be allowed. She's a doctor. What did she do, brainwash you or something? Surely there are rules about this!" he loudly argued, though his heart fell when he saw the hurt present in her moist blue eyes. Slightly composing himself, he sat back down on the edge of the bed before reaching out to take her hands. "Arizona, listen. I get it. You're lonely and yeah, she's hot and it's been. . .since. . .Carly, but Arizona she isn't good for you. You need to concentrate on getting better, not on playing tonsil hockey with the resident hottie."

Arizona immediately pulled her hands from within the embrace of her best friend's. "I _do_ know her, Alex. I love her, and she loves me," she passionately stated. "You may be my best friend, but you do _NOT_ get to dismiss what she and I have together."

Alex huffed, once again standing from his seat. "Yeah, Carly loved you, too, Arizona. Look how well that turned out," he angrily spat. Watching as tears brimmed in Arizona's eyes before dripping down her cheeks, Alex immediately regretted his harsh remark. "I'm sorry, Arizona. I. . .shit. . .that wasn't fair," he tried to soothe.

"Screw you, Alex! You don't know her! This is different. Calliope is nothing like. . ._her_. Nothing! I love Callie a-and. . .if you can't understand that, if you can't even hear me out, then you need to _go,_" she demanded through an onslaught of tears. "I don't _need_ you here to protect me this time, Alex. I don't need you!"

Alex's eyes widened, then glazed over with something Arizona very rarely saw from him except in recent months.

Hurt. Pain. Shock.

Like Alex before her, she immediately regretted her words. "Alex I. . ." but whatever Arizona was about to say fell on deaf ears because before she could finish her sentence, he turned on his heel, slamming the door so hard behind him that the windows rattled right along with the shattering of her heart.

* * *

Pacing the short distance between her bed and the bathroom, Arizona anxiously rubbed her temples as she made another full circuit across her room. She hadn't heard from Alex since the previous morning when he stormed out of her room, and now here she was - only an hour away from being wheeled into an OR for her bone marrow transplant - worried to death that she had ruined their friendship forever.

"Rise and shine, pretty lady," Callie called as she entered the room, her view partially obstructed by the exquisite bouquet of Gerbera Daisies, Red Roses, Gladiolus - and pretty much any other flower that's meaning had anything to do with _love _- she had purchased in hopes of brightening Arizona's spirits on this very important day. Stopping short when she heard her girlfriend's hushed mutterings, she lowered the flowers, finally noticing Arizona's frantic pacing.

Setting the flowers on her bedside table, Callie stepped up in front of her girlfriend to halt her obviously freaked out stride. "Arizona. . ." she softly called, grabbing her ivory hands and pulling her close. "You okay, sweetie?"

Arizona only shook her head, her gaze focused solely on the tiles of her hospital room's floor. When she didn't speak, Callie hooked her fingers under her chin, dragging her head up until their gazes locked. "It's going to be okay, sweetheart. You're in the home stretch now. Bailey's the best. . ."

"It's not that, Callie," Arizona immediately interrupted, her blue eyes welling with tears. "It's. . .it's. . .what if. . ."

"Alex will be here, Arizona," Callie insisted before Arizona could say anything further.

After leaving her girlfriend's room the previous morning, Callie had anxiously sought out Miranda to discuss the situation Alex had walked in on, but before she had the chance to even find her best friend, she received a frantic text from Arizona, begging her to come back to her room as soon as she could. Scared out of her mind, Callie ran full speed to room 1614 to find her girlfriend uncontrollably weeping into her pillow. After holding her as she cried for several long minutes, Arizona finally calmed down long enough to explain to her what had happened after she left.

"He's your best friend, babe. . .and unfortunately, sometimes. . .best friends fight. But, best friends are also the people who stand with you through thick and thin, in good times and in bad times. Friends are the ones who accept you, just the way you are," she tried to assure her distraught girlfriend. "He'll be back. I know it."

Arizona weakly nodded before moving across the room to lie back down on her bed. "Thank you for the flowers, Calliope," she said, reaching out to stroke a petal of a large stargazer lily. "They're lovely."

Callie took in the form of her dejected girlfriend. Sighing, she sat down on the edge of Arizona's bed, grasping both of her hands within her own. "Listen to me, Arizona," she insisted. Waiting for blue eyes to meet her brown, the Latina smiled when they finally did. "I can't have you going into the OR like this. He'll be here, honey. I know it. So, please, _please_. . ."

A knock on the door interrupted Callie's plea. "Come in," Arizona called, squeezing her girlfriend's hands to acknowledge her understanding of what she was about to say.

"Good morning, Arizona. . .Callie," Miranda greeted, scrub cap in place on the top of her head, surgical gown flapping loosely behind her. "It's a great day to save lives, Ms. Robbins. You ready?"

Arizona anxiously sought Callie's chocolate brown eyes. Seeing all the love, pride, and hope those expressive orbs held, she nodded her head, squeezing tightly onto the caramel hands that still rested within her own. "I'm ready," she whispered, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Callie nodded her agreement, leaning forward to place a gentle kiss against her girlfriend's lips. She could feel them trembling, and pulling back, she rested her forehead against Arizona's. "I'll be here when you wake up, okay?"

Arizona nodded, but when Callie moved to step away, she was completely unable to relinquish the hold she had on her. "Stay with me," Arizona softly requested. "Walk with me to the OR."

Callie swallowed hard, the sting of tears burning her eyes, but she knew she needed to remain strong for the woman she loved more than anything in the world. "Of course," she replied, looking toward Miranda for her approval.

Upon receiving her best friend's knowing smile and a quick nod of her head, Callie stepped back, watching as nurses and OR techs quickly descended upon her girlfriend's bed in preparation of wheeling her down the hallway and into the operating room.

Once outside the OR doors, Callie couldn't find the strength to let go of Arizona's hand, nor could she pry her own out of her girlfriend's firm grasp. Looking down into worried blue eyes, the Latina sighed when she saw those orbs dart from side to side, desperately searching for her best friend. "He'll be here, Arizona. I promise," Callie whispered into her ear before gently pressing her lips against an ivory cheek.

A lone tear slipped from the corner of Arizona's eye, landing on the pillowcase beneath her head. Seeing the torment evident in her girlfriend's every feature, Callie hastily wiped at the dampness on her own cheeks, determined to remain strong.

"It's time," Miranda said, laying a gentle hand on her best friend's arm.

Callie nodded, leaning down to place an urgent kiss upon Arizona's lips. Running her fingertip over her girlfriend's brow and then down her nose, she smiled a watery smile. "It'll be over before you know it, and I'll be here," she whispered. "I love you, Arizona."

Arizona gave a weak nod, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Bringing Callie's hand that she still held in her own toward her lips, she kissed the back of it before locking her gaze with that of her girlfriend. "I love you too, Callie. So much."

Looking toward Miranda, Callie's soulful eyes begged her permission to allow her to continue on into the OR with them. Upon receiving a stern glare of disapproval, and resigning herself to the fact that she needed Miranda to not be distracted, she relinquished her grip on the smaller hand in her own. Smiling only slightly, she stepped away from the gurney as Miranda moved to help push Arizona through the double doors leading to the operating room.

Watching her best friend and girlfriend disappear behind those doors, the Latina finally let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, several tears trickling down her caramel cheeks. Scuffing the toe of her shoe against the tiles of the floor, she clasped her hands in front of her, sending a silent prayer to God above that this procedure was going to be the one to save Arizona's life.

* * *

"Callie Torres, I know you did _not_ just step foot in my OR," Miranda growled upon hearing the familiar footfalls of her best friend entering the room twenty minutes later.

"Bailey, I just needed to make sure that everything. . ."

"Everything is _fine_, Torres," Miranda scolded without even looking up. "All I have to do is place the catheter, and then it's smooth sailing from there."

Callie nodded, shifting her weight from side to side. "Bailey, I. . ."

"Please don't make me get someone to escort you out of here, Torres," Miranda stated, finally looking up into the worried eyes of her friend.

Callie chuckled softly, her gaze never faltering from the dark brown eyes of her best friend. "I-I. . .I just really need this to work, Bailey." She then paused, clearing her throat. "Her. . ._my_ entire life depends on it."

* * *

After being kicked out of the OR and subsequently out of the OR gallery, too, Callie now sat in the surgical waiting room on a hard plastic chair, her foot nervously tapping as she glanced around the seating area. She wasn't alone. There were at least half a dozen other people sitting in the same chairs, just like her - waiting on their loved ones, just like her.

Looking at the wall clock across the room, she sighed, going out of her mind with worry for her girlfriend's well-being. Needing to do something, she stood from the uncomfortable chair, walking to the other end of the waiting area before turning around and pacing back to her starting point. She had tried to focus on something other than what was currently happening in her best friend's OR, but that was completely and totally impossible.

This felt so wrong - the waiting so foreign to her. She wasn't used to being on this side of things - she was always the one coming to deliver the news, and in all honesty, being _this_ person – the one who was waiting - totally sucked. She was a mess, her mind a mix of jumbled thoughts, her stomach churning and twisting in knots, her heart broken at the memory of the forlorn expression on Arizona's face as her big blue eyes hopefully looked around in search of Alex.

The thought of her girlfriend's best friend sent a shot of anger, guilt, and frustration coursing through her. She was angry and frustrated at Alex for hurting Arizona like this without allowing either of them the chance to explain, but most of all, she felt guilty because if it wasn't for her, none of this would have ever happened. If it wasn't for her relationship with Arizona, Alex would have been there for her when she needed him most.

Pacing back across the room, Callie's fists clenched at her sides. She wanted to find Alex and throw a brick at him, but on the other hand, she didn't want to make matters worse. Alex Karev had been around a lot longer than she had, and she knew that even she couldn't fill the void he had caused.

Huffing loudly, she threw herself back against one of the hard waiting room chairs. She still had a couple hours to wait, and she had no idea how she was going to get through them without going completely insane. Pulling her phone from the back pocket of her jeans, she opened her email, hoping there was something inside there that could possibly take up a bit of her time.

"This seat taken?"

Callie sharply looked up to discover an anxious looking Alex standing next to her. His gaze never met hers, his eyes focused solely on the floor beneath him. "Of course not," Callie softly replied. "Please. . .sit down."

Hesitantly taking the seat to her left, Alex sat silently next to a quiet Callie, neither sure of what to say. After several long moments, Alex broke the uncomfortable silence. "How was she?" he asked. "When she went in. Was she okay?"

Callie stared ahead of her, adamantly refusing to meet his eyes. "Uhh. . .she was. . ._fine_," she replied, her voice very unsure. Who was ever really just _fine_? People could be bad or great, or even _awesome_ as Arizona liked to say, but what did _fine_ really mean?

Alex dryly laughed. "Fine? Really? You're as bad as Arizona," he stated with a shake of his head. "You know as well as I do that whenever someone says they're fine, they really aren't."

Callie laughed a little, the knot in her stomach lessening only slightly. Chancing a glance at the man beside her, she could tell that he was nervous, his fingertips anxiously drumming against his jean clad thighs, his foot tapping an unknown beat against the institutional tile floor. Knowing exactly how he was feeling, Callie decided to offer him a bit more information. "She was upset. Not in good spirits at all, but I think she'll be. . ._okay_ when she comes out. She'll be happy to know you're still here."

Alex nodded his head, but remained silent. He had spent the night at a local bar called Joe's, drowning his sorrows and feeling like shit. He had hurt the one person he swore he never would, and her words had hurt him more than he wanted to admit. Arizona was strong, independent, and very rarely actually _needed_ him, and he knew he could be overbearing and overprotective at times, but he just couldn't help it. She was more like his sister than anything else, and it was just his instinct to be there for her - to take care of her - to keep her out of harm's way.

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Alex cleared his throat. "She's my best friend," he quietly stated, his deep voice reaching Callie's ears.

A slight smile tugged at the Latina's lips. "I know," she honestly replied. "And you're hers. She was a mess after you left yesterday, Alex."

Alex's sullen eyes finally met Callie's upon hearing her words. "I didn't mean to hurt her."

Callie nodded, her eyes looking down at her own clasped hands that were resting on her lap.

"I was only trying to protect her," he added.

Callie once again met his gaze. "That's fine, but you don't need to protect her from me," she softly insisted. "I love her Alex."

For the first time since his arrival, Alex turned in his seat to _really_ look at her, deep chocolate eyes staring him down and refusing to budge. Callie was going to hold her ground no matter what. She was there for Arizona, and she just needed him to realize that.

Alex glared at Callie, the stirrings of anger once again rising within him. How dare this. . ._woman_, sit here and tell him that she loved Arizona.

_He_ loved Arizona.

_He_ was her best friend.

_He_ had known her for years.

_He_ had been there with her through thick and thin.

Watching the muscles twitching in Alex's jaw, Callie took a deep breath trying to compose herself. "Listen. . .I get where you're coming from, okay?" she stated, her gaze never faltering. "To you I'm just a stranger with a ponytail. You don't know me. You don't trust me, but I'm not the problem here, Alex. You trusted me to look after her, but instead. . .I went and fell in love with her. . ."

Alex opened his mouth to interrupt, but Callie quickly held up her hand to stop him.

"I know what you're going to say, and I can tell you now that while I never intended for it to happen, it did. Arizona and I fell in love," Callie adamantly insisted. "She's the best thing that has ever happened to me. She's. . ._amazing _and loyal, she's strong, and everything else you admire in her as your best friend. I can't explain it to you in a way that will make you understand, because trust me, I barely understand it myself, but Alex. . .I _love_ Arizona. With my entire heart. She's it for me, and I promise you I'm not going to hurt her. Not now, and not ever," she stated, her voice firm and full of the love and devotion she felt for the woman they were speaking of. "I'm going to be here for her every single day, just like I have been for the past several weeks. I'm going to be here, and I'm going to fight with her. . .I'm' going to fight _for_ her. You don't have to understand it or even like it, but if you love her like I know you do, then please. . ._please_, Alex. . .just give us a chance," she implored. "Talk to her. You're her best friend, and she's miserable without you."

Alex stared at the woman seated next to him, her dark brown eyes open and honest and pleading with him to understand. "I've known Arizona for a long time, Dr. Torres, and she's the strongest person I've ever met," he began to explain. "But, when that. . .that _bitch, _Carly. . .left her, she broke. I've never seen her like that before. She was a mess. Like really a mess. I mean, I'd witnessed her go through break ups before, but nothing compared to how she was when Carly up and left her. What kind of person does that to the person they supposedly love?!" Alex heatedly asked, suddenly standing and waving his hands in the air.

Callie looked on wide eyed as Alex paced before her. She could see the other people in the waiting room beginning to stare, and she was about to answer him, but he cut across her before she could get a word out.

"Who leaves their girlfriend of almost three years when they tell them that they have leukemia? Who abandons their sick and potentially dying partner like that? She just up and left, and I was the one left to pick up the pieces. I made sure she got out of bed every day. I made sure she took her meds and went to work and ate. She was. . .devastated because she thought Carly was the one. Arizona loved her, and that bitch just stepped all over her heart because she couldn't handle. . ._this_," Alex stated, turning to face the surprised raven haired woman sitting in front of him.

Callie felt rage burn inside her as she took in the information Alex had just supplied. She and Arizona hadn't discussed previous relationships - in her mind, it was a huge waste of time. She wanted to live with Arizona in the now - to make the most of the time they had, in case the worst happened. She wanted her girlfriend's days to be filled with as much joy and happiness as possible because the past didn't matter now.

The thought of someone treating Arizona like that was mind boggling and more than a little upsetting. How could someone do that? Especially to Arizona - who was sweet and kind, funny and caring, beautiful and just utterly amazing.

Callie shook her head at the thought. "I don't know how anyone could do something like that to her, Alex," she eventually replied, knowing full well that there was no way in the world she could ever leave Arizona's side.

"Arizona's had girlfriends, and she's had one night stands. She's had sex friends and weeklong affairs, but Carly. . .she was the long-term one. She was the one who Arizona settled down for - the one she was ready to make a home with and a commitment to, but she just _left_ her," Alex repeated, wanting Callie to understand _why _he reacted the way he did upon seeing them together the previous day.

Callie reached a tentative hand out to rest it on Alex's forearm. "Alex, I promise you that I'm not going to leave her. I know you only have my word, and my word means nothing to you, but right now, that's all I can give you."

Alex studied the Latina and despite wanting to tell her to leave - despite his brotherly concerns - he knew she was speaking the truth. He could see it in her eyes and hear it in her words. Looking her straight in the eye, he spoke again, needing her to really understand just how serious he was about his protection for his best friend. "When Arizona loves, she loves hard. She gives her whole heart. She never wavers. She deserves the very best. She's gone through Hell. . ._is_ _still_ going through Hell, and she needs someone who's going to be there for her. Someone who isn't going to be scared off. Someone who loves her like she loves them. You have to understand, Torres. . .Arizona Robbins is my family, and I will hurt anyone who messes with her. Anyone. She might be strong, but I have to be there to catch her if she falls," he seriously warned.

Looking into Alex's light brown eyes that were sparkling with passion and sincerity, Callie carefully chose her words. "Arizona is lucky to have such a loyal and protective friend, and I can see why she thinks so highly of you," she replied. Pausing again, she set her face in complete honesty and truth. "I'm not asking you to be my friend, Alex, but I _am_ asking you to give me the chance to prove to you that I'm all in. One chance is all I'll need to prove to you that I want to be there to catch her, too."

* * *

Bleary eyes sleepily blinked open as Arizona tried to gain some semblance and recognition of where she was, her head fuzzy and her mouth as dry as the Sahara Desert. With heavy eyes barely open, she moved to sit up, but the moment she attempted to, pain jolted through her stiff body, causing her to groan at the action before falling back onto the bed.

"Hey there. Easy does it, now," Alex said, rushing to Arizona's side.

"Alex?" Arizona rasped, lazily turning her head, her hands rubbing at her eyes.

"Yeah it's me," he replied, holding out a glass of water. "Here drink this. I bet your mouth feels like shit right now."

Sipping from the pink plastic cup he offered, the cool liquid felt wonderful against her dry lips and parched tongue. "Thanks," she quietly stated.

Alex nodded, but said nothing. After his talk with Callie that morning, he had taken a walk, giving himself time to process their conversation. Ending up back in Arizona's room, he spent the remainder of her procedure thinking about their argument the previous day. He regretted his remarks and wanted to apologize to her from the moment they fell from his mouth, but the truth was, he was hurt. Arizona had never spoken to him in such a way, the venom of her comments cutting more than he ever thought possible.

He had flown to Seattle to support her, not to upset her, yet somehow, he had ended up doing just that. For so long it had been just the two of them - they stood by each other through everything and _everyone_. People had come and people had gone, but their friendship had always remained intact, and the thought of losing what they had wasn't even an option to him. Resigning himself to the fact that he didn't need to approve of her relationship, but only to support his best friend, he calmed down, fully prepared to apologize to Arizona the moment she awoke.

After several long moments of silence with neither looking at the other, they sighed, both speaking up simultaneously.

"Alex. . ."

"Arizona. . ."

Both friends smiled, a small laugh from Arizona breaking the uncomfortable silence that lingered throughout the room.

Moving to sit on the edge of Arizona's bed, Alex hesitantly reached out his hand, relieved when her smaller one immediately tangled with his own. Opening his mouth to speak, he was cut off when Arizona beat him to it.

"Let me go first, please," she insisted, her eyes finally looking up at him.

Alex simply nodded, holding tightly to her hand.

With a sigh, Arizona ran her hand over her tired eyes with the back of her free hand. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. . .and _kicked_ you. . .but mostly, I'm sorry I said I didn't need you. You have to know by now that you're my best friend in the world, Alex. I'll always want you by my side," she genuinely stated, meaning every single word. "But sometimes, you're just such a damn jerk."

Alex smiled almost shyly, waving off her apology. "I know, Arizona. I was an ass," he quickly admitted. "I came in all gang busters. I refused to let you or Torres speak, and I'm sorry. It's not my business. . .I had not right," he replied.

Arizona nodded. "You're right, it's not really your business, Alex, but don't do that. Don't excuse my behavior. I was horrible to you, and I shouldn't have been. You flew all the way across the country for me. Just like always, you're here. . .you've never left me. Not once. . .not like _her_," she said, tears brimming in her blue eyes. "You stayed. You helped put me back together. Without you by my side, there's no way I would have made it this far, and I'm so sorry for the way I treated you."

Feeling tears spring to his own eyes, Alex quickly turned away from his friend. She didn't need to see him blubbering like an overgrown baby - she needed him to be strong - and after wiping his eyes as inconspicuously as possible, he leaned forward, pulling Arizona into his embrace, his strong arms wrapping tightly around her as he whispered his own apology into her ear.

As the two best friends held each other, immense relief washed over them, both taking solace in the fact that their friendship was still intact. Pulling back, Alex blushed slightly, uncomfortable at his unexpected display of emotion. Taking a moment to compose himself, he fiddled with the hospital bracelet around Arizona's left wrist. "So, you and Dr. Torres. . .it's for real, huh?" he hesitantly asked.

Returning his apprehension, Arizona slowly nodded her head. "Yeah, it is. I love her, Alex. . .I really do," she quietly replied.

Alex sighed before standing to pull a chair closer to Arizona's bed. "Yeah?" he asked. "Callie said the same thing," he added, dropping tiredly into his seat.

Arizona looked up in surprise. "You. . .umm. . .you spoke to her?"

Alex nodded his head. "I did. When you were in surgery," he replied, leaning back in his chair. "I can't say I understand it, Arizona, but I do have to say. . .I've never seen anyone look how she did when she was talking about you. And you - you light up just at the mention of her name. You've never looked like that before. Not with Joanne, and not even with Carly."

Arizona smiled, though she sniffled a little, the past two days making her abnormally emotional. "I know. It's. . ._sudden_, and it's not exactly. . ._normal_, but somehow, it just. . ._happened_. I can't explain it, Alex. There's just something about her that makes me feel complete. She's. . ." she trailed of, a dreamy dimpled smile lighting her face. "She makes my heart pound and my knees weak. She. . .she makes me feel like _anything_ is possible."

Alex smiled at his best friend - it had been so long since he'd seen her this happy. "Well, I don't know about all that, but I do know that she loves you. . .I can just tell. And that. . .that's good enough for me," he relented. "But I swear to God, Arizona. . .if she hurts you, I'll kick the shit out of her."

Barking laughter, Arizona shook her head. "I wouldn't expect anything less, but I'm pretty sure no ass kicking will be necessary, thank you very much. Callie is pretty. . ._perfect,_" she swooned, the thought of her stunningly beautiful girlfriend making her downright giddy.

Alex rolled his eyes, sticking his finger down his throat to mockingly gag himself. "She does have a sweet ass, that's for sure. Total babe. . ." he teased, quickly dodging the empty cup Arizona threw at him.

"Hey! That's my girlfriend you're talking about!" she scolded. "You better watch it, Alex Karev. I might be sick, but I'm still tough enough to kick _your_ ass," she joked, sticking out her tongue.

"Yeah, right," he gruffly scoffed. Standing from his chair, he reached out to playfully tug at the scarf wrapped around his best friend's head. "I'm going to go. Callie's outside waiting, so I'm going to let you spend some time with her, okay?"

"You don't have to go, yet. Stay, please," she insisted, the fear of losing him still fresh in her mind.

"I'll be back, Arizona. I promise. I'm just going to go grab something to eat. You should know by now that you can't get rid of me that easily."

Arizona smiled, relieved that he wasn't going far. "Awesome," she stated, surprised when he leaned forward to kiss her cheek in an unusual display of affection. Watching as a blush covered his cheeks as he moved to walk toward the door, she couldn't help teasing him. "Hey, Alex. . ."

"Yeah?" he questioned, already halfway out the door.

"I love you," she replied, a smirk curving at her lips.

Alex blushed again, clearing his throat. "Yeah, yeah. I know."

Arizona's eyebrows raised mischievously, her blue eyes twinkling lightheartedly before pointedly glaring at him.

Alex shook his head. "Love you, too," he grumbled before practically throwing himself out the door.

Arizona laughed at his antics, shaking her head before covering her mouth to stifle a yawn. Moments later, she watched as her door opened to reveal a nervous looking, but still extremely gorgeous Latina stepping toward her.

"Hey," Callie softly called, stopping halfway between the door and her girlfriend's bed.

Arizona reached out her hand, beckoning Callie closer to her. "Hey," she replied, shifting to sit up further in her bed.

The moment Callie saw the grimace form on Arizona's face, she was quickly at her side. "Here, let me help," she insisted, fluffing the pillows behind her girlfriend's back to help support her weight. "You okay?"

Arizona nodded, blowing out a breath. "Yeah, yeah. . .I'm good. Just a little stiff," she softly replied, closing her eyes as she settled herself into a more comfortable position.

Callie took a seat on the edge of Arizona's bed, a place that had become her usual spot over the past several weeks. Waiting for those crystal clear blue eyes to reopen, she gently stroked the side of her girlfriend's face. "Bailey said it went great," she whispered once tired eyes finally opened to meet hers. "How are you feeling?"

Arizona offered her girlfriend a weak smile. "Exhausted," she admitted. "But not too bad. I feel much better now that I got to talk to Alex."

Callie nodded her understanding, though an anxious look quickly crossed her face. "So. . .your talk. . .went well?"

"_Very_ well," Arizona immediately replied.

Callie's smile grew wider, the anxiety she was feeling quickly replaced by relief. "Good. I'm glad."

Noting the fatigue taking over her girlfriend's every feature - her eyelids sagging, her breathing becoming more even - Callie leaned in to gently brush her lips against her forehead. "I'm going to go, sweetheart. You need your rest," the Latina said, standing from the side of the bed to tuck the blankets more securely around Arizona who was losing the battle and quickly descending into dreamland. Kissing her cheek, Callie's lips lingered just below her ear. "I love you, Arizona."

Pulling back, Callie smiled, watching as Arizona snuggled further into the small hospital bed. Quietly stepping away, her hand was on the door knob preparing to open it when the slight sound of her girlfriend's voice caught her attention.

"Callie," Arizona whispered.

Turning around, Callie raised her eyebrows in question. "Yeah, baby?"

"Lay with me?" she requested, scooting over on the small bed to allow Callie some room. "Please."

Callie hesitated, knowing that it was against the rules for visitors to stay with the patients in their rooms, but not only that, she was a doctor here and her sleeping with a patient was certainly going to be frowned upon. Deciding that the rules could kiss her ass, she moved closer to the bed, carefully crawling in behind her girlfriend so that her front rested against Arizona's back. Draping her arm over a slender waist, she laced her own fingers through smaller ivory ones. "How's this?" Callie asked, kissing the hollow beneath her girlfriend's earlobe.

Arizona scooted backward, cuddling further into Callie's embrace. "Perfect," she managed to whisper before completely losing the fight, her eyelids drowsily fluttering closed.

From outside the hospital room, two figures stood watching the scene unfold through the open blinds of the window.

"She really loves her, doesn't she?" Alex asked the short statured doctor standing next to him.

Miranda looked up into the concerned eyes of the man standing to her right. "Yes, she really does," she honestly replied. "I've known Callie a long, long time, and to be honest with you, I've never seen her like this before. She's never been like this with anyone else."

Turning their attention back to the couple cocooned together on the small hospital bed, they watched as Callie once again adjusted the blankets around Arizona's sleeping form before kissing her shoulder and then the back of her head. It was clear from Callie's every movement that she saw Arizona as a priority, not an option - the love she felt for her evident in the unwavering gentleness and concern of her every action. As Callie settled into the pillow and the warmth of the body in front of her, closing her eyes and pulling Arizona impossibly closer to her, both Miranda and Alex were sure that they were witnessing love in its truest form. They didn't need to worry - there was nothing they could do - because love had taken over. It had caressed the spirits of their friends, assuring them that someone was always going to be there to catch them if they happened to fall.

* * *

**AN2: **The bone marrow transplant process goes a little differently in the real world, but this is fanfiction, so we hope you don't mind just going with it. ;)

**AN3: **We both hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you so much for continuing to read and for your wonderful reviews and comments. We look forward to hearing what you think about this update. Happy Grey's Day!


	6. Chapter 5

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **No Grey's tonight, but here's an update full of Calzona goodness. Enjoy!

* * *

_**Chapter Five**_

* * *

Frenzied ivory hands caressed the intoxicating expanse of a smooth caramel back, short fingernails digging furiously into the long muscles they found there. "Please, Calliope. More. . .please," Arizona begged, her voice nothing more than a desperate sultry plea, her head thrown back in pleasure as a set of full lips and a moist tongue nipped, sucked, and licked turgid pink nipples, skilled fingers stroking her pulsing center and hardened clit to perfection. "God, baby. I'm. . .I'm. . ."

Callie looked up from her attention at Arizona's delicious breasts, darkened chocolate eyes meeting the hooded blue ones of her girlfriend. "Arizona. . ."

Arizona's body flew up off of the bed, her breathing labored and her heart pounding the unknown beat of a bass drum in her chest. "Oh my God!" she gasped, her fingers pulling at the sweaty t-shirt clinging to her chest.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Callie asked, her voice full of concern as she reached out to test the temperature at Arizona's forehead with the back of her hand. "Oh my God, Arizona! You're burning up! I'm paging, Bailey. Your pulse is through the roof. . .you could have an infection. . .or. . .or. . ." Callie trailed off, reaching into the pocket of her lab coat to pull out her phone.

With a trembling hand, Arizona intercepted Callie's before she could alert her doctor. "I'm okay, Callie. Really," she insisted, exhaling an exaggerated breath as her heart rate and breathing slowly returned to their usual rhythm. "I-I was just. . ._dreaming_. You. . .startled me."

Not convinced, Callie once again placed her hand on Arizona's forehead. "Are you sure? You're dripping with sweat."

Arizona smiled, throwing back the covers on her hospital bed and swinging her legs over the side. Fisting Callie's lab coat in one of her hands, she grabbed the automatic bed control with the other to move her bed into a more elevated position. Once she was face to face with the Latina standing worriedly before her, Arizona winked seductively before pulling her girlfriend's body in between her parted legs to lay a hard kiss against full lips.

After several moments, Callie slightly pulled away, a megawatt smile covering her face. "Mmm. . .morning," she murmured against moist lips. "I brought you coffee," she added, attempting to move out of her girlfriend's hold to retrieve the to-go cup she had deposited on Arizona's bedside table.

Refusing to let go, Arizona tugged Callie back toward her, both hands now gripping the material of the surgeon's lab coat and scrub top. "The coffee can wait," she seductively stated, once again capturing her girlfriend's plump lips with her own.

Callie smiled into the kiss, completely unable to deny Arizona's lusty demands. Swiping her tongue against her girlfriend's bottom lip, the Latina quickly slipped it inside when Arizona happily granted her entrance.

"Mmm," Arizona moaned into Callie's hot mouth, her long lean legs wrapping around the Latina's body, ankles locking as one tongue massaged against the other, pale hands sneaking under Callie's scrub top to stroke the soft skin she found there. Dipping her hands beneath the waistband of her girlfriend's pants and panties, Arizona massaged the smooth muscles at her hips before sliding down to grasp a magnificently rounded ass. Pulling Callie impossibly closer, Arizona moaned into her mouth when her heated center came into intimate contact with her girlfriend's pelvis.

Surprised by the jolt of pleasure that coursed through her entire body, Callie's hips involuntarily bucked against her girlfriend's core, the heat of their centers more than obvious through the material of two sets of panties, thin cotton pajama pants, and the rough material of hospital issued scrub bottoms. "God, baby. You feel. . .so good," Callie breathlessly groaned against the lips that continued to devour her own.

Unable to remain standing for a moment longer, Callie bent forward at the waist, lowering her girlfriend onto the small hospital bed. In one quick motion, Arizona scooted up the mattress to rest her head against the pillows as Callie climbed up to lie next to her.

Tangling one hand in the Latina's raven locks, Arizona pulled her back in, once again engaging their mouths in an intimate tryst of probing tongues, hungry lips, and clashing teeth. As Callie's hands cupped and massaged painfully aroused breasts, strangled moans and seductive gasps mingled in the air, a free ivory hand hastily tugging at the drawstring of Callie's pants before quickly disappearing inside. "Mmm. . .God, Callie. I want you. . .so much. Please, baby. Please let me fuck you," Arizona breathlessly mumbled, her hips thrusting forward, seeking the intimate connection she so shamelessly desired.

Feeling roaming fingers brush against the line of trimmed hair just above where she so desperately wanted to be touched, Callie's entire body stiffened, a tanned hand quickly grasping at the wrist of Arizona's wandering one to prevent its continued southward journey. "Arizona," she breathed out, her hazy sex filled brain slightly clearing and demanding she put a stop to this amazing, but unfortunately highly inappropriate behavior. "Baby, stop. Please," she insisted, pulling her girlfriend's persistent hand from within the confines of her pants.

Callie swallowed hard, the sensation and sound of Arizona's ragged breath against her neck, serving only to amp up her already raging libido. She could have very easily given in to Arizona's request - effortlessly acquiesced to her fervently wandering hand - but she wanted more. Arizona _deserved_ more. More than just a quick fuck on a terribly uncomfortable hospital bed - more than a hasty romp atop cheap, scratchy sheets. Arizona Robbins was the love of her life, and if Callie had anything to do with it, she planned on their first time being the last _first _time either of them ever experienced. More than that, though, she just wanted it to be special. Incredibly life-affirming. Positively unforgettable.

Refusing to relent, however, Arizona pushed forward, grinding her slim hips against the luscious curvy ones of her gorgeous girlfriend. "Mmm. . .Callie. . ." she moaned, blazing a trail of hot kisses along a caramel colored neck.

Quickly sitting up and practically throwing Arizona off of her, Callie hastily jumped off the bed, distancing herself from the shocked looking woman who remained there. "I'm sorry, Arizona. . .I. . .I. . ." Callie trailed off, nervously wringing her hands together, her anxious gaze haphazardly darting around the room.

"Hmm. . .playing hard to get, huh? Such a tease," Arizona seductively purred as she sat up on the side of the bed. "Come back here, Calliope. I. . ."

"I have to go," Callie interrupted, briskly moving toward the door.

Arizona's face fell as she swallowed the lump that instantly formed in her throat upon realizing the seriousness of Callie's words. "You-you're leaving?" she softly asked, apprehension and slight embarrassment now evident in her tone.

Callie immediately recognized the hurt look that crossed her girlfriend's features, a dejected tremble now evident in her previously sultry voice. Crossing back toward her, the Latina gently pecked Arizona on the cheek, allowing her lips to momentarily linger before once again stepping back. "Don't worry, babe. I'll be back. I promise," she quietly stated. "But right now, I. . .I have to go. I have a patient."

Disheartened by her girlfriend's nervously hasty exit, Arizona threw herself back onto the bed as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. Clearly her advances had made Callie uncomfortable, the sting of rejection she felt nearly all-consuming. Shaking her head, Arizona feared that it was just her. Maybe her out of control libido and the persistent sex-filled dreams that constantly plagued her hours of slumber were clouding her ability to think rationally.

No - that wasn't it. It wasn't just hormones or dreams, nor the fact that it had been. . ._forever_. . .since she last had sex or that she was so horny at times that she couldn't see straight. Nope - it wasn't that at all.

It was more than that. So much more. It was Callie. It was the fact that she wanted her - wanted to make love to her, and not just because of some sex dream, but because she _loved_ her. She needed her. She yearned to be inside her, to passionately kiss her, to make her moan in ecstasy as her entire body trembled with pleasure _because of _her. It was all she'd been able to think about for the last couple weeks, and she assumed that her girlfriend was thinking the same, but every time she tried to push things beyond that boundary of making out with a little inappropriate touching, Callie immediately slammed on the brakes before disappearing in a flash with some flimsy excuse that there was somewhere else she needed to be.

Maybe it was the cancer. . .

Maybe Callie didn't find her attractive because she had no hair. . .

Maybe it was because Callie just simply didn't want to make love to her. . .

Maybe this, maybe that - all the negative thoughts swirling around in her mind proved little help in placating her concerns, but instead did nothing more than weighing her down. The leukemia had been her first priority for so long - it was utterly exhausting and the cause of the demise of her previous relationship, but now - now that she was getting better, her burning sex drive was once again rearing its head, making it crystal clear that it desperately needed to be extinguished.

And why not? She had the most beautiful woman in the world as her girlfriend, they were young and they were in love, they were hot and they were sexy. . .but maybe she was just way off. Maybe her dreams were having a more profound effect on her than she was willing to admit.

No - she refused to believe that it was all in her head and that Callie didn't want her. It wasn't that at all. It was just the situation they had been presented with. It was because of this fucking hospital. Where exactly did she think they were they going to have sex? In an on-call room? In a supply closet?

Sighing at the thought, Arizona resigned herself to the fact that the hospital clearly wasn't the most ideal location for their first time - or any other time for that matter. She wanted it to be special, to mean something. She knew that she didn't want a quick fuck, but she also needed to somehow rid herself of the fear that Callie just simply didn't want to be with her in that way. She needed to know that her girlfriend did indeed want her. She needed to be reassured that Callie desired her and actually wanted to make love to her.

Unfortunately though, with the way Callie had taken off so quickly, Arizona wasn't sure that she wanted her at all.

Grasping her pillow, she quickly threw it over her head, screaming her frustrations into it. "Stupid! Stupid! Damn stupid dreams!"

* * *

"Ooh, Bailey!" Callie called moments later as she sidled up next to her best friend who stood charting at the nurses' station.

Miranda regarded her friend out the corner of her eye, her pen never stopping the scribbled note she was jotting down. When Callie only stood silently, not saying anything further, the shorter doctor rolled her eyes, letting out a huff. "You gonna speak?" she impatiently asked as she turned in her direction. Noting the apprehensive set of Callie's expressive chocolate eyes, Miranda immediately softened. "You okay, Torres?"

Callie sighed, her hands clasped tightly together in a classic wringing motion that always signaled the presence of her anxiety and nervousness. "Yeah, yeah. . .I'm fine. It's just. . .umm. . .can we talk? It's okay if you don't have time. I mean, I can see that you're busy. I don't want to be a bother. You know what, actually. . .never mind. I'll just. . ."

"Give me ten minutes," Miranda replied with a smirk, interrupting her best friend's overwrought ramble. "I'll meet you in conference room two."

Callie nervously nodded her head before quickly leaning in to take her friend in a hard embrace. "Thanks, Bailey."

Miranda scrunched her face as Callie continued to squeeze her. "Get off me, Torres. I can't breathe," she grumbled. "I'll see you in a few minutes."

Callie pulled back, reaching out to straighten Miranda's now rumpled lab coat. Turning on her heel, she quickly disappeared down the hall in the direction of their designated meeting spot.

* * *

As promised, Miranda arrived in the conference room only minutes later, shutting the door behind her before moving into the room. Taking in the rigid posture of her friend who stood with her back to her, clearly lost in her thoughts as she gazed out the window, Miranda quietly stepped up behind her, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Callie flinched at the touch, as if shocked by the presence of someone else in the room, before quickly turning around. Smiling slightly at her best friend, she slowly moved to take a seat at the conference room table, landing there with an exasperated sigh.

Miranda took the seat next to her friend, reaching out to grasp her hand. "What's going on with you today, Callie?" she quietly implored.

Callie shook her head. "It's Arizona. She. . .she's really _pushing_. . .and I want to. Believe me, I want to. . .like really, _really_ want to, but. . ."

Miranda held up her hand to halt the Latina's disjointed speech. "I know you're not talking to me about sex," she huffed with a shake of her head.

Callie's cheeks pinked with a slight blush, her face guiltily twisting in affirmation. "I know you don't like to talk about it, but you're my best friend, Bailey. Please, just. . .what do you think I should do?"

Miranda rolled her eyes, but knew her friend was seriously asking for her advice. Before she could speak a single word, however, Callie stood up and began to anxiously pace the length of the conference room. "I mean, I know we've known each other for less than three months, and we've never even been outside the hospital together, but I love her, Bailey. Like really love her, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to be there for her in good days and in bad. I want to laugh with her and cry with her - I want _everything_ with her. I want a-a house, and rings, and-and babies. . ." Callie trailed off, the thoughts in her head springing forth more quickly than her mouth could keep up with. "And the transplant, it seems to have worked, right? So, she should be out of the woods soon. . .and then we can carry on with our lives. Which means I shouldn't be afraid to make love to her, but I want it to be special. Not just some quick fu. . ."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Miranda nearly shouted, jumping up from her seat to step in front of her friend to halt her agitated stride and tawdry remarks. "Slow down, just a second, Callie," she insisted.

Looking deeply into her friend's confused and conflicted eyes that now brimmed with unshed tears, Miranda smiled slightly, reaching out to take the Latina's hands into her own. "Don't you have a three date rule or something? Shouldn't you at least try _dating_, first?"

Callie let out a bark of laughter. "How am I supposed to take her on a date when she's stuck in this freakin' place for God only knows how long? Being confined to a hospital room isn't exactly conducive to romance and dating, Bailey," she scoffed with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

Shaking her index finger at her friend, Miranda pursed her lips as she shook her head. "I'm disappointed in you, Callie Torres. I may be your best friend, but you seem to have forgotten that I am also your girlfriend's doctor."

Callie briefly shook her head, her eyes slowly widening as the meaning of her friend's words finally began to sink in. "You mean, I can. . .you'd really let me take her out of here? On a date?"

Miranda nodded the affirmative, though a threatening look filled her dark brown eyes. "Yes, you can take her on a date, but I'm entrusting her safety to you, Torres. If you don't bring her back safe and sound, I'll kick the living shit out of you."

* * *

"Wow, Alex," Arizona distractedly replied into her phone later that day as she drummed the top of her pen against the notebook resting in her lap. "A solo femoral hernia repair on a nine year old. That's awesome."

_"What a rush, Arizona. The ortho surgeon just stood by and let me lead."_

Arizona plastered a smile onto her face, though the cheerfulness didn't quite reach her voice. "That's great, Alex. I'm proud of you," she continued, though her heart felt heavy with the unexplained jealousy she felt in the face of her best friend's recent achievement.

_"Sorry to run, but I need to go talk to the kid's parents. I'll call you soon."_

With that, the line quickly went dead before Arizona could even say her goodbyes. Blowing out a breath, she twirled the pen between her thumb and forefinger as she shifted in her bed. Glancing down at the blank piece of paper on her lap, she frowned. She thought this would be easy, but it turned out she was wrong. Staring down at the empty ruled page as if words would suddenly appear by the sheer will of intelligent thought, she commanded her barren mind to come up with something, but instead, she once again drew a complete blank.

"Hey, pretty lady!"

Arizona looked up, her demeanor immediately brightening at the sight of Callie leaning against the doorframe looking deliciously hot as always. "What have you been up to today, hot stuff?" she asked, a dimpled grin consuming her face.

Callie smiled mischievously as she crossed the room. "Totally just rocked a transmyocardial revascularization," she said with a sly shrug of her shoulders. "So. . .I thought I'd come celebrate by kissing my best girl. Speaking of, what would you say to an old school junior high make out?" she teased with a wag of her eyebrows before leaning over Arizona to greet her with a chaste kiss.

Pulling back slightly, Arizona giggled against Callie's full lips. "You're best girl, huh?" she questioned with a quirk of an eyebrow.

Callie only nodded, nuzzling her nose against the smooth skin of her girlfriend's cheek.

"How very 1950's of you," Arizona joked. Not satisfied with chaste, she decided to take her girlfriend up on that make out session as she leaned forward, grabbing a handful of long raven waves and crushing her lips against those of her love.

Surprised, but not complaining, Callie responded in equal measure, a caramel hand cupping one side of Arizona's face to draw her in further. All too soon, lustful moans filled the room as two pale hands inched further and further down the Latina's body. Knowing she had to have some semblance of self-control, however, Callie reluctantly pulled back.

"Hey! I wasn't finished with your mouth. Get back here!" Arizona demanded.

Callie chuckled softly at the adorable pout that covered her girlfriend's face. Resisting the urge to swoop back in and kiss her protruding bottom lip, she took a seat in the chair next to Arizona's bed. "Maybe later. . .if you're good," she teased. "But, in the meantime, maybe this will do. . ." she replied, producing a box that Arizona hadn't even realized she was holding.

Blue eyes immediately lit up, the pout disappearing from her face as the dimples that Callie was sure would be the death of her came out to play. "For me?" Arizona asked.

"For you," Callie replied, handing over the box of Arizona's favorite food.

"Oh, you're the best, Calliope! Doughnuts might help with this mental block I seem to have developed," Arizona enthusiastically stated, quickly diving into the box of Krispy Kremes.

Callie frowned, feeling completely lost. "What block, babe? What were you working on before I came in here? You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good," Arizona replied through a mouthful of her delicious treat. "Just finding this a lot harder than I thought it would be," she continued, although she didn't elaborate on what exactly _this_ was.

Standing from her seat, Callie placed one knee at the side of Arizona's bed, before settling herself next to her. "You're going to have to help me out a little, babe. What exactly are you trying to do that's so hard? Maybe I can help."

Leaning into her girlfriend, she took another bite of her doughnut. "Bucket List," she mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate and sprinkles.

Callie's brow creased, her smile disappearing. "Bucket list? Why are you making a Bucket List?"

Licking her lips, Arizona noncommittally shrugged her shoulders. "Um, why not? Lots of people do it, Calliope. It's not a big deal."

Callie moved to position herself behind her girlfriend, leaning over her shoulder to glance down at the page of the notebook in Arizona's hands.

There was nothing on it. Completely blank.

Something about the sight of that empty page made Callie feel better about this entire situation. She didn't like the idea of Arizona making a _Bucket List _one bit, and just the thought of her girlfriend doing so, made her heart rate exponentially increase. She didn't exactly know why Arizona was doing this, but she couldn't help but feel that writing this kind of list was a bad omen or bad karma or _something_. Whatever Arizona's reason was, she didn't like it. "I know lots of people make them, Arizona. I just don't see why you are," Callie huffed.

Arizona turned her head to look at her girlfriend, noticing how her usually flawless tanned complexion had slightly paled. Frowning, she gently set her notebook to the side before reaching for Callie's hands, pulling them around her body to grasp her middle.

Pleased when the Latina held her tightly against her front, Arizona laid a soft kiss against her jawline. "What's wrong, babe?" she quietly implored.

Callie shook her head, willing the sting of tears she felt in her eyes to stay put and not drip down her cheeks. "Nothing. I. . .I just don't want you to make a Bucket List," she softly whispered. "I think it's a. . .stupid idea."

"Calliope. . ."

"No, Arizona. Don't Calliope me. Just. . .please. . . .please don't do it."

Arizona felt her heart clench at the vulnerability she saw written across her girlfriend's face and the apprehension she heard in the tremble of her voice. "Babe. I'm not dying. I'm also not writing the list because I think I am going to. It's more of a. . ._what I want to do in life_ list," she softly stated, running her hands over the forearms encircling her middle.

Callie lifted her chin from Arizona's shoulder, turning her head to gaze into concerned blue eyes. She could see the worry lines on Arizona's beautiful face, and she lifted a hand to trace over them, her fingers tingling as they felt the soft skin beneath them. Smiling when Arizona's eyes fell shut and a sigh fell from parted pink lips, the Latina's mood lightened as she relished this small moment spent between just the two of them - their love for each other palpable. "It. . .it just scares me, Arizona. When you say you're making a list that is. . .well. . .you know. . .and with you being sick. . .it just feels wrong or something," Callie softly admitted as she rested her chin back down on her girlfriends shoulder, their cheeks lightly brushing together.

Reaching up, Arizona lightly stroked raven locks, her blue eyes boring into Callie's soul. "I know what you're saying, Calliope, but that's not what I was thinking about. I'm finished thinking about dying, but the fact remains that I've spent a great deal of the last couple years in and out of the hospital. I've given up work, my friends, my family, my home. . .and now, while Alex is at Hopkins performing big surgeries on little people, and you're off being all cardio superstar, I have to sit here with nothing to do but listen to bitchy gossiping nurses while eating highly questionable meals and watching terrible daytime TV. I hate it, Callie, and I need to have some say over my own life," Arizona insisted, the tone in her voice begging her girlfriend to understand. Clearing her throat, she reached out, her thumb brushing away a single tear that left a trail of moisture down her girlfriend's cheek. "This isn't me planning for the worst, because I'm going to be fine - more than fine, actually - because now, I have you. This is just me taking control. This is me planning for a future I was scared I might never see. So please, Calliope. . .don't be sad. Please. . .please just help me think of things to put on my list because I want you to be right there with me checking things off of."

Callie quietly sighed before laying a gentle kiss against Arizona's shoulder blade, the steady beat of her girlfriend's heart she could feel against her front, serving to comfort her - to remind her that she was still here and not going anywhere, anytime soon. Reaching up with one hand to turn Arizona's head in her direction, she leaned in to kiss soft pink lips. Smiling as she pulled away, Callie nuzzled their noses together. "Of course I'll help you, my love. Whatever you want me to do. But. . .if you _ever_ think about actually. . ._kicking the bucket_. . .you'll have me to answer to."

Arizona softly laughed at her girlfriend's sucky joke. "You're such a dork. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Callie replied. "But you love me, anyway."

* * *

An hour later, after many laughs, a few daydreams, and a couple minor disagreements about Callie agreeing to go skydiving with Arizona, a list had been compiled. Sitting comfortably on Callie's lap, Arizona looked it over, a pleased smile tugging at her lips. It wasn't a bad list if she did say so herself - some goals more serious than others.

"You listed a number twenty, but didn't fill it in. Can't think of anything else you want to do?" Callie asked from her spot on a cushioned chair in the corner of the room.

Arizona felt herself blush, thankful the Latina couldn't see her face. She did know what she wanted in the twentieth spot, in fact she wanted to put it in the number one spot, but was too embarrassed to do so. "Uh, yeah. I guess I got a little ahead of myself," she offhandedly replied. "Maybe I'll come up with something later."

Callie hummed her agreement as she sat up to look over her girlfriend's shoulder. Glancing down at the paper, her eyes briefly scanned over the list they both helped create.

_1_. _Finish my Residency_

_5. Adopt a puppy_

_8. Go Skydiving with Calliope_

_11. Go Skinny Dipping_

_15. Eat a romantic meal under the stars in Paris by the Eiffel Tower_

_17. Meet Robert Pattinson (Go Team Edward!)_

_19. Get Married_

"That's a nice looking list you've got there, sweetheart," Callie softly admitted as she rested her chin on her girlfriend's shoulder.

Arizona bit her bottom lip in contemplation, giving the list another once over. "Yeah? You think so? It's not too. . .stupid or unattainable?"

Pausing momentarily, Callie then suddenly scooped her girlfriend up into her arms with a strength that admittedly turned Arizona on. "Calliope! What are you doing? Put me down!" she squealed as the Latina effortlessly carried her toward her bed.

Gently depositing her laughing girlfriend on the mattress, Callie quickly joined her, climbing over top to straddle her supine form. Leaning in nice and close, she lightly brushed their lips together in a soft, but passionate kiss. As the joining of their mouths became more heated, the Latina didn't protest when Arizona's hands ran the length of her body before settling on her ass.

God, Arizona was an ass girl. Not that Callie minded one bit.

Feeling the need to once again slow things down, Callie brought her hands up to grab Arizona's beautiful face, slowly easing herself out of their kiss. As their breathing returned to a normal rate, Callie gazed down at her girlfriend who was looking up at her with lust, adoration, and love in her darkened blue eyes. "When you get out of here, Arizona, I am personally going to help you mark off every single one of those goals on your list. Do you hear me? Every. Single. One," she stated, accenting each word with a quick peck at moist bruised lips.

Arizona gently ran a fingertip over Callie's brow. "Really?" she softly questioned, losing herself in the chocolate brown eyes she swore could see into the very depths of her soul.

"Really," Callie insisted. "I heard you before, sweetie. So. . .once you're out of here, we're taking that list with us so we can start checking off those goals one by one."

Arizona sincerely appreciated the offer, but knew deep down that many of the items were probably a little out of reach. "Calliope, half of these things. . .they. . .I mean, I'd have to leave the country for. Just because they're on there, doesn't mean I have to do them. They're just things I'd _like_ to do. I could never ask you to pack up your life to come with me just so I could see the Great Wall of China or visit Paris."

Callie shook her head, long raven locks cascading over her shoulders to create their own private curtained area. "You don't have to ask, Arizona. . .because I'm offering," Callie replied. "Nothing is out of your reach, sweetheart. Nothing is too far-fetched or unattainable when we are together, and we're going to do them all. I can't say that I'm exactly thrilled about jumping out of a plane a million miles up in the air, but I will. I'll do it for you. I'd do anything for you."

"Your life is here, Callie. I can't. . ."

"My life is with you now, Arizona," Callie quickly interrupted. "I can take a leave of absence from work, a-and pick up my residency any time. That's not what's important to me. Not anymore. You deserve everything in the world, babe, and I want to be there by your side when you get it."

Arizona couldn't help the tears that began to fall as she watched the look of genuine honesty filter through Callie's eyes. "You're really serious, aren't you?"

Callie nodded her head before leaning down slowly. "Arizona Robbins, I cannot wait to visit Paris with you. I cannot wait to pick out a gorgeous puppy with you, and if I must, I cannot wait to jump out of a plane with you," she reverently whispered before once again capturing Arizona's lips with her own.

* * *

In that blissful state between dreams and wakefulness, Callie's body twitched as an out of place sound filtered into her sleep laden brain. Opening her eyes and rolling over in her bed, she blindly reached out to grab the vibrating telephone from her nightstand. Squinting as the brightness of the display assaulted her eyes, she flicked her thumb against the touch screen to open her text messaging app.

_Thank you for today, Calliope._

Looking down at the text, Callie bit the side if her jaw, confused by Arizona's words.

_For what, sweetie?_

_For helping me with my 'when I get the Hell out of this hospital' list. For understanding. For just being you. For everything._

Callie smiled, feeling giddy with the honesty she found written in her girlfriend's response. Tapping her thumbs against the letters on the keypad, she quickly typed her reply. _You don't have to thank me, Arizona. I love you, and I'd do anything for you. _

_Anything?_

_Anything. Even if I have to climb to the top of Mt. Everest or jump out of a plane._

_Hmm. . .that's interesting, Calliope. Ever engaged in a little sexting?_

_Arizona!_

_What?! You said anything. ;P_

Callie chuckled at her girlfriend's antics, shaking her head as she thought about the cuteness that was Arizona Robbins. Glancing at the alarm clock on the stand next to her bed, she noted the time to be nearly midnight. _It's late, babe. You need your sleep._

_You're no fun. Party pooper. :(_

_What if I said that I have a surprise for you, tomorrow? One that you'll need to be rested up for?_

_I'd say, I'm listening. . .or. . .reading. _

Callie softly chuckled as she settled herself back into the comfort of her mattress. _Well, I have a surprise for you._

_And?_

_You need to rest up. _

_Really? That's it? That's all you're going to tell me?_

_If I say any more, it won't be a surprise. _

_You're seriously no fun!_

_Don't be a hater. You know you love me. _

_I really, really do. _

_I know. ;)_

_Don't be smug._

_Hmm. . .I love you, Arizona. Goodnight and sweet dreams, sweetie._

_Goodnight, Calliope. I love you, too._

* * *

"This place is beautiful, Calliope," Arizona said, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled over the two of them.

It was just before noon the following day, and since Arizona had been itching to get out of the hospital, Callie had decided on this place for their first _kind of _date. They couldn't really go too far, but since Bailey had agreed, the Latina decided to surprise Arizona with a little walk to her favorite spot in Seattle - a beautiful park where the grass was green, the air clean and fresh, and solitude easy to come by.

It was less than a ten minute walk from the hospital, but the view from the bench they were now seated on was magnificent. The Space Needle majestically poked up into the cloudy blue sky, the remainder of the Seattle skyline all within the spectacular view.

Nodding her head, Callie hummed her agreement as she wrapped an arm around Arizona's shoulder, firmly holding her smaller form against her body.

"I've gotten so used to being inside all the time that I think I forgot what it was like to breathe in fresh air," Arizona mused as she rested her head on Callie's shoulder. "It feels amazing to have the sun on my face and all this open space around me."

"So, good surprise?" Callie asked.

When Arizona nodded in affirmation, Callie smiled brightly before kissing the side of a silky scarf covered head. Watching her girlfriend whose eyes were closed and her pink lips smiling made the Latina's heart skip a beat. She looked happy, carefree, and relaxed - a great contrast to how she sometimes tended to be while stuck in her small room of the hospital. The feeling of contentment that Callie seemed to feel only in Arizona's presence made her excited for their future - for when she could take Arizona somewhere beyond this place - beyond the hospital cafeteria.

With that in mind, Callie reached into her bag that rested next to her on the bench, clearing her throat as she pulled a white envelope from within. Turning to once again face her girlfriend, she paused momentarily, carefully choosing her words. "I-I have something _else_ for you, Arizona."

Lifting her head from its perch against Callie's shoulder, Arizona glanced in the Latina's direction, noticing the seriousness that had overtaken her previously easy-going demeanor. "What, Callie? What's going on? What's the matter?"

Callie shook her head. "Nothing. Nothing's the matter," she tried to assuage. "It's just. . .this. . .this is for you. Here," she replied, forcing the envelope in her girlfriend's direction.

Arizona skeptically regarded the Latina before reaching out to accept her offering. Running her fingertips under the flap of the envelope, she carefully pulled out a stack of meticulously folded forms.

_Medical Residency Application Service - Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital_

Callie harshly gnawed on her bottom lip as she watched realization dawn on her girlfriend who promptly turned to face her. When Arizona didn't immediately speak, a fountain of impetuous information erupted from the Latina's mouth. "I want to do everything with you, Arizona. . .and I'm going to start by helping you check off every single item on that list of yours. Finishing your residency is number one on that list, so this. . .this is just the first of many things I plan on making sure you are able to accomplish. I didn't plan for any of this to happen, Arizona. Neither of us did," Callie quickly interrupted. "I didn't know when I saw you for the first time three months ago that I would fall desperately in love with you, a-and I know. . .I know we don't have a plan for what happens when you get out of the hospital, but what I _do_ know is that I want _you_. I want you to be a part of my plan. Whatever that plan may be."

Arizona sat motionless, wide blue eyes staring in astonishment as her mouth opened and closed several times to make words, but ultimately, she was rendered completely speechless. "I. . .I. . ."

Callie swallowed hard, worried that she had overstepped an invisible boundary when it came to her girlfriend's list. Worried by Arizona's steadfast silence, she decided to just go for broke. "I really want you to stay. In Seattle. With me," she insisted with a nervous chuckle. "But i-if you don't want to stay, I totally understand. I know your life isn't here. Your family and friends are in Baltimore, a-and if you want to go back to Hopkins, that's totally fine. I'll just resign here, and go with you. I'm sure I can find somewhere to finish my residency," she anxiously trailed off, her last statement more of a wondering thought. Scrunching her face, embarrassed by the awkwardness of this moment, she forced her lips into a firm line, confident that Arizona now thought she was a complete lunatic. Unable to stop the word vomit that continued to spew, however, she cautiously added, "I mean. . .unless you're just totally hating the idea. . .which. . .would be okay. . ."

Rearing back her head, eyebrows raising at the absurdity of her girlfriend's self-inflicted quandary, Arizona couldn't help the laugh that fell from her lips.

Completely mortified, Callie blushed crimson as she turned away, her feelings hurt and her ego bruised. "You're right. It was silly. I don't know what I was. . ."

"Yes, yes. Calliope, yes," Arizona hastily replied, saving Callie from any further unease. "I would love to apply to the residency program here."

Callie quickly turned back toward her girlfriend, a relieved smile covering her face. "Really?" she softly questioned.

"Really," Arizona honestly replied. "I don't care where I am, Callie, or what I'm doing. It doesn't matter. . .as long as I'm with you."

Bouncing up and down in her seat, Callie squealed like a giddy school girl, causing Arizona to jump in surprise. Reaching forward, persistent tanned hands grasped at her light jacket, pulling her in for a searing kiss.

After pulling away, the Latina tucked the application back into her bag for safekeeping before settling onto the bench with her arm wrapped around her girlfriend's shoulder. As if nothing important had just happened, she rubbed gentle patterns over Arizona's back, unable to help staring sidelong at the woman who was making all of her dreams come true.

"I can feel you watching me, Calliope," Arizona stated, though her eyes remained closed as she reveled in the lovely weather and the carefree companionship she and Callie had come to share.

"I am not!" Callie lied.

"Are to!"

"Nope."

"Liar liar, pants on fire!" Arizona sang as she peeked open an eye to indeed find Callie's gaze trained upon her.

Laughing at Arizona's childish antics, Callie leaned in to tickle her, enjoying her giggles and attempts to evade her wandering fingers. "You're such a dork. You know that?" Callie joked as she finally stilled her hands to allow her panting girlfriend a moment's reprieve.

Breathless and with joyful tears in her eyes, Arizona nodded her head before moving to straddle her girlfriend on the park bench.

Callie's eyes went wide at the provocative position they were now in - in public - in the middle of the day. "Um. . .babe. . ." she warned, slowly looking around them to make sure no one was around. Noticing the darkened shade of her girlfriend's usually light blue eyes, Callie swallowed hard.

Bringing her finger up to Callie's mouth, she pressed it against her full lips to quiet her. "No talking," Arizona whispered before moving forward to claim plump lips with her own.

Wholly unable to resist, Callie easily relented, her arms moving to wrap around a trim waist, her tongue tangling with Arizona's as the muscles danced to a rhythm that had become as natural to them as breathing. Pale hands slipped under her girlfriend's scrub top, skimming upward to seductively brush against sensitive lace covered breasts before coming to rest between them on a heaving chest.

Pulling back to breath, Callie stared into lusty blue eyes. "Baby. . .we c-can't. . ." she breathed, though her request wasn't very convincing - her voice shaking as her hips pressed forward on their own volition, her painfully aroused clit desperate for attention.

Arizona shook her head, grinding her own center down against Callie's sensitive core. "We can. . .please, Calliope," she breathlessly begged before diving back in.

Callie was powerless, the feel of Arizona thrusting against her, reigniting the embers that had been smoldering between them for the past couple weeks. "God, Arizona. Mmm, baby," she hoarsely moaned as nimble fingers squeezed voluptuous breasts. When deft fingers tweaked already hardened nipples, the Latina threw back her head, gasping loudly into her girlfriend's hot mouth.

"I want you. God, Callie. I need to be inside you," Arizona mumbled as she sucked on Callie's neck, one hand continuing to fondle a breast while the other slid beneath her scrub pants to cup the Latina's mound.

Callie's hips bucked again - mere seconds away from losing control - only an instant away from just saying _fuck it _and throwing Arizona down onto the soft grass below to ravage her glorious body until she could no longer move. Trying to focus, however, the Latina roughly grasped her girlfriend's hips to force them away from her own. "A-Arizona. F-fuck. Wait," she muttered, desperately trying to focus on anything but the fingers tracing the lightest of sensual touches against the thin material of her now damp panties.

"Mmm, Callie. You're so hot. So. . .wet," Arizona husked, intoxicated by her first touch of what she had been dreaming about for nights on end.

Arizona's words, deliciously dirty and true as they were, were enough to instantly snap Callie out of her lust-filled stupor. Quickly standing, she pushed her girlfriend away in one smooth motion, her breathing hard and her body shaking from the absolute need she felt for the woman she loved.

"What the Hell, Callie?" Arizona demanded, steadying herself on the bench before she toppled to the ground.

"We-we can't, Arizona. Not here. I-I'm sorry, but I have to go," Callie stammered.

"Callie. . ."

"My-my pager is. . ._buzzing_," Callie feigned, reaching into her pocket to grab the device.

Arizona skeptically regarded her girlfriend, sure by the way she nervously shifted her weight from side to side that she was lying. And, Callie Torres was a terrible liar, because when she did, her left eye slightly twitched, her tanned cheeks blushing pink, her eyes purposely averting a bright blue gaze.

Now feeling more than a little pissed, Arizona slumped back onto the bench, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned away from her girlfriend. "Fine," she grumbled. "I guess I'll just see you later."

Callie felt terrible for lying, the hurt and anger flashing across her girlfriend's gorgeous features causing her heart to plummet into her stomach. "Come on, Arizona. I promised Bailey I'd bring you back with me," she urged.

"I'll be fine, here, Callie," Arizona pouted. "I won't be long. I promise I'll be back in my damn hospital room before anyone knows I'm missing."

Callie wanted to scream. She didn't want to argue with Arizona, and it wasn't that she didn't want to make love to her, but she knew that simply fucking her in public was something that she would regret for the rest of her life. Kicking her feet against the grass, the Latina hesitated, not wanting to leave Arizona alone and hurt, but she'd made up the lie now, so she needed to stick to it. "Okay," she finally relented. "I'll see you tonight, then? Before I head home?"

Arizona let out an exaggerated breath. "Sure."

Hanging her head, Callie's reached out, her hand lingering momentarily over her girlfriend's shoulder. When Arizona didn't turn around or say anything more, she let it drop before slowly turning around. With a heavy heart, she walked away, looking back only once to see the dejected form of the woman she loved.

* * *

"I swear to God, Robbins. If you aren't dying right now, I'm personally going to kick your skinny little ass," Miranda huffed as she rushed into Arizona's hospital room hours later. Spotting her patient sitting in the middle of her bed, legs crossed Indian Style and appearing perfectly fine, she shook her head as she quickly turned to leave. "Nope. Not dying. I'm leaving."

"No! Bailey, wait! I need to talk to you. It's. . .uh. . .really important," Arizona hastily replied, trying to stop Callie's best friend from following through with her hasty escape.

Throwing her hands up in the air, Miranda roughly dropped onto the chair next to the Arizona's bed. "You've got ten minutes, Robbins. . .then I'm out of here," she grumpily stated.

Arizona nodded her head, agreeing with her doctor's terms. "I-I really need your advice," she quickly admitted. "It's Calliope," she added, swinging her legs over the side of the bed to face her girlfriend's best friend.

"Why am I not surprised?" Miranda muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm going crazy here, Bailey. And, well. . .I was wondering. . .has she said anything to you? About me?"

"Hmm, let me think?" Miranda seemed to ponder as she tapped her index finger against her chin. "Are you kidding me with this, Robbins? You're _all_ that woman talks about. _All_ the time. So yes. She has said some stuff to me. Unfortunately, lots of stuff," she quickly replied in exasperation.

Despite the hurt and frustration she had been feeling, Arizona couldn't help the dreamy smile that formed on her face. Simply having the knowledge that Callie did indeed speak of her made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Noticing the faraway look of a moony-eyed school girl light up her patient's face, Miranda once again rolled her eyes. "Focus, Robbins! Times a ticking," she demanded, snapping her fingers in front of Arizona's face. "I didn't come here to watch you daydream about Torres. So, did you actually need something important or did you just want to chit chat, because you already know that I don't do chit chat."

"Sex!" Arizona suddenly blurted out, causing Miranda's eyes to widen. "I need to talk to you about sex!"

"Oh, no! No, no, no! We are _NOT_ doing this, Robbins," Bailey quickly interjected, hastily standing up to move toward the door.

"Bailey, wait! Please! I need your advice."

Reluctantly turning back around, Miranda adopted her best glare. She had just had this same uncomfortable conversation with Callie the day before, and for that she made the exception because she loved her best friend as annoying as she could be, but she really wasn't up for sex talk with Arizona. This woman may have been her best friend's girlfriend, but the fact remained that she was still on her service. There had to be some rule against this kind of talk between a doctor and her patient.

Choosing her words, Miranda shook her head as she cleared her throat. "Arizona, if you want sex advice, then you're barking up the wrong tree. I don't talk about sex."

"Please, Bailey."

"I don't talk about sex with anyone, ever. Any kind of sex."

"Bailey, I'm begging you. . ."

"Arizona, I'm afraid I can't help you, and truthfully. . .uh. . .I would have thought that um. . .you wouldn't need any _help_. . .or. . ._advice_ in that area, anyway," the doctor stuttered.

Arizona furiously blushed as she dropped her face into her hands, shaking her head and mumbling something completely unintelligible that Miranda couldn't hear.

"You're going to have to speak up, Robbins. I can't hear you."

Hesitantly raising her head from its hiding place, Arizona's eyes darted everywhere but in the direction of the shorter woman in front of her. "I don't need sex. . ._advice,_" she clarified in a hushed whisper, fearing a passerby might hear. "What I meant was. . .has Callie said anything to you about. . .that stuff? Where I'm concerned? Because. . .I think. . .I mean I'm pretty sure. . .maybe, she doesn't want to. . .you know. . .with me."

Miranda once again shook her head. God, this was why she did not do personal. Things got way too awkward, way too fast. "Um. . .well. . .listen, Robbins. Don't you think that. . ."

"I'm hot you know!" Arizona interrupted, her embarrassment concerning the subject obviously fading. "There are women lining up for me. I'm. . .awesome and hot and there's no reason why Callie should not want to have sex with me!" she adamantly stated, her hands wildly waving in the air to emphasize just how hot she was.

Bailey stood rooted in the same spot, totally flabbergasted as she watched the blonde begin to pace back and forth in front of her.

"I mean, is it because I'm sick? Because she knew I was sick from the very beginning. Or is it because of my hair? She's repulsed by me not having any hair, isn't she? Oh God, my girlfriend thinks I'm hideous!" Arizona practically wailed as she stopped to stand directly in front of the wide eyed and speechless doctor.

Miranda's head was swimming with things she really didn't want to know. First Callie, and now Arizona. Why the Hell did people feel the need to seek her advice on these kinds of issues?

But, noting the genuine insecurity in the panicked woman's eyes, she inhaled a deep breath before taking hold of Arizona's shoulders. "Get a grip, would you? You're speaking nonsense. You're all Callie talks about. All day and all night long. _Arizona's so beautiful. Arizona's so sweet. Arizona's so this. . .Arizona's so that_. Blah, blah, blah," she mocked her best friend in a sing song voice. "The woman is head over heels in love with you, Arizona. She doesn't care about the fact that you're sick or that you have no hair. She loves you. All of you. And as for. . ._sex_. . .I'm. . .it's not my _place,_ but I think you'll find if you actually talk to _her_, and not _me_, then you may be pleasantly surprised."

Arizona's shoulders relaxed a bit, a small smile curling at the edges of her pink lips. "Really?" she asked, a hopeful lilt to her voice.

Rolling her eyes, Miranda nodded. "Yes, really. You idiot! But, it really doesn't matter anyway," she stated as she briskly moved toward the exit.

"Why doesn't it matter?" Arizona questioned, confusion clouding her eyes. "It certainly matters to _me_ if my girlfriend doesn't want to have sex with me!"

"Enough! No more talk about sex!" Miranda hastily interjected. "I don't want to hear anything else."

"Why doesn't it matter, Bailey?!"

"It doesn't matters because if I _EVER_ catch you and Torres doing the nasty here in _my_ hospital, neither of you will make it out of here alive," she threatened. "No nasty business on hospital grounds. Not now. Not ever!"

Arizona couldn't help the chuckle that fell from her lips. "Got it."

Miranda cleared her throat as she straightened her lab coat. "Now, if you're finished taking up my time with all this personal stuff, I'm going to go and actually get some real work done."

Watching as her doctor turned to make a hasty exit, Arizona quickly called out. "Thank you, Bailey!"

"You're welcome," Miranda mumbled. Deliberately turning back around, she once again glared at her patient. "Oh, and Robbins?"

"Yeah?"

"If you ever page me 911 to your room again to talk about your sex life with my best friend. . .I can guarantee you that when I'm through with you, sex will be the very _last_ thing you'll need to worry about."

Taking in the scary look on the short doctor's face, Arizona swallowed hard. "Duly noted."

* * *

"Callie, I just want to go to bed. I just want to curl up in a ball. . ." Arizona muttered as she was pulled through the empty halls of the hospital later that night.

"Come on, Arizona. I have something to show you," Callie insisted, her grasp on the ivory hand within her own unwavering.

Stepping onto the elevator, Callie pushed the button for the tenth floor before leaning back against the wall of the elevator, a mischievous smile playing across her lips as she watched the lights of the lift signal each passing floor.

Standing silently beside her girlfriend, Arizona watched in amusement as Callie excitedly tapped her foot against the floor, a huge smile covering her face. It made Arizona happy to see her girlfriend so enthusiastic about whatever it was that she had to show her, and while she was mildly intrigued herself as to why she had been dragged from the comfort of her bed, she really wasn't feeling up to doing anything other than sulking - _alone_ - in her room.

After talking with Bailey, she felt good for all of an hour before that terrible feeling of rejection came rushing back in. Callie hadn't been back to see her, and with no one else to visit, she had a lot of time to sit and brood. She logically knew that sex in the hospital wasn't a good idea, but no matter how hard she tried to reason with herself, she couldn't rid herself of the feeling that Callie simply did not want to be with her in that way. Even though there were probably a thousand good reasons why Callie tended to pull back, she couldn't help but think that it was her - that she just wasn't good enough for the stunning Latina.

That thought alone made her depressed as Hell, and all she really wanted to do right now was curl up in the fetal position with the covers thrown over her head so that she could hide away from the rest of the world.

The sudden halt of the elevator and the ding of the bell quickly brought Arizona out of her dismal thoughts. Noticing the floor they had stopped on, her brow rose in question. "The roof? You brought me up to the roof of a hospital?"

"Yep!" Callie excitedly replied, determined not to let her girlfriend's morose attitude ruin their evening. She wasn't stupid - she hadn't failed to notice Arizona's depressed mood - and she was pretty sure she knew exactly why she was behaving this way.

"Really, Callie?! You dragged me out of bed and all the way up here for what? To see the helipad?! Seriously?!" Arizona huffed, her mood quickly morphing from grumpy and petulant to downright bitchy.

Callie rolled her eyes at her girlfriend's disgruntled impatience. "Arizona Robbins! I love you to pieces, but you are seriously starting to get on my nerves! So please. . ._please_. . .just close your eyes and shut the Hell up!" she sternly barked, only two seconds away from strangling her girlfriend with her bare hands.

Arizona's eyes widened at Callie's outburst. Opening her mouth to protest, she quickly shut it when she caught the glaring look in Callie's usually soft chocolate eyes, but completely unable to stop herself, she let the words tumble from her mouth. "I don't really appreciate being told off, Calliope! And I hate surprises. I'm trying to have a good attitude, but I hate this."

"Hmm. . .this is you with a good attitude?"

"Fine, fine. I'll shut up," Arizona relented, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. "Lips sealed. Eyes closed. But, please don't let me fall to my death. I just suffered through my second bone marrow transplant, so I really don't need to deal with anything else," she huffed as she stood waiting for Callie to lead her in the right direction.

Rolling her eyes, Callie sighed as she grabbed hold of Arizona's shoulders from behind, moving her off the elevator, the chilly night air a direct contrast to the stuffiness of the hospital.

Wrapping her arms around Arizona to ward off the chill, Callie carefully and slowly moved them toward the center of the roof. Leaning in nice and close, she softly whispered into her ear. "Okay. You can open your eyes now."

Shivering not only at the coldness around her, but at the sensation of Callie's breath on her ear, Arizona dutifully followed her girlfriend's instruction. Eyes opening slowly, it took her a moment to take in her surroundings, and as she did, she suddenly gasped aloud.

Right there before her, in the middle of the roof of Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, was the most beautiful sight she had ever set her eyes on. Twinkly lights lining every surface of the roof shimmered around a table set for two as candles flickered in the darkness, the delicious aroma of a four course meal assaulting her senses. Looking beyond the center of the roof, the Seattle skyline glimmered in the distance providing a majestically grandiose backdrop to complete this romantic setting.

Quickly turning to face her girlfriend who stood nervously wringing her hands and biting her bottom lip, Arizona's mouth opened and closed several times before finally finding the ability to speak. "Calliope. . .I. . .what's all this?' she quietly asked, her voice carrying through the night.

"I know it's not Paris, and it's nowhere near the Eiffel Tower, but. . ."

"It's so much better than that, Callie," Arizona happily interrupted. "It's perfect. Thank you."

Callie opened her arms to catch her girlfriend who nearly jumped into her embrace. Holding her close, she nuzzled her neck, placing small kisses on every inch of skin she could reach. "I love you, Arizona."

"I love you, too, Calliope. So much," Arizona whispered as she clung to the taller woman.

After a few moments of holding one another, Callie disentangled their bodies before leading Arizona toward the table. "For you, my lady," she teasingly instructed as she pulled out her chair.

Arizona giggled, blushing slightly as she sat down. Looking in front of her, she felt her heart swell and her stomach flutter as she considered the great effort Callie had gone to in order to make this night special. Had she not already been head over heels in love with the Latina, this would certainly have sealed the deal. "How'd you manage all this?" she asked as she watched Callie pour them both a glass of her favorite Chardonnay.

Callie waved her off as she returned the bottle back to the bucket to chill. "Oh, it didn't take much. Plus, I had Bailey's help."

"Bailey?" Arizona asked in surprise as she accepted the proffered wine glass from her girlfriend. "I'm sure she loved that," she laughed as she imagined the shorter woman begrudgingly helping Callie set up this romantic evening for two.

"There may or may not have been a little bribery involved," Callie admitted with a wink as she raised her glass.

Arizona followed suit, raising her own. "What are we toasting to?"

Callie thoughtfully regarded her girlfriend. Studying the beautiful face before her, she was suddenly overwhelmed by the magnitude of emotion that overcame her. Clearing her throat, she quietly sniffled as a megawatt smile then consumed her face. "We're toasting to us. To you, Arizona, because I love you so much," she sincerely began. "What we have is. . ._magical_. It's beautiful, and it's real. It's the purest thing in my life, and every single day that I get to spend with you is the happiest day of my life. Every single time I look at you, I melt. Every time I kiss you or touch you, I'm in heaven. I never thought a love like ours could exist, but yet. . .here we are. You've made me the happiest person alive, Arizona, and I promise you that not one day will go by that you won't know exactly how much I love you. How much I. . .want you," Callie said with conviction, looking Arizona dead in the eye and hoping her girlfriend understood exactly what she meant.

Callie's words were like a shot of heroin to her heart. They were addictive and made her feel higher than any drug ever could. Unable to hold the Latina's gaze, Arizona quickly looked away. "Calliope. . ." she softly said, the genuineness of her girlfriend's words making her feel like a total moron for doubting her and for behaving like such a brat.

"Look at me."

Embarrassed by her previous behavior, Arizona only shook her head as tears began to well in her eyes.

"Look at me," Callie softly repeated, this time with greater intensity.

Lifting her head and looking across the small space, Arizona's eyes darted around before finally locking with the soulful brown ones of her girlfriend.

"I _want_ you, Arizona. How could you ever think that I don't want to make love to you? You're everything I've ever dreamed of in a partner and so much more," Callie genuinely added.

Arizona shook her head at how well Callie already knew her - at how in tune they really were. "I thought you did. . .I just. . .I wasn't sure. Every time I tried to take things further, you had a patient or-or your pager went off. I'm sorry. I know I was being stupid."

"You are the furthest thing from stupid, Arizona," Callie gently insisted. "Do you want to know what I think you are? How I see you?"

Arizona sighed. "Really, Callie. . .it's okay. You don't have to stroke my ego just because I've been behaving like a spoiled, horny teenager."

Callie laughed aloud at Arizona's description of herself. She wasn't really that far off, but all of those things only served to make her more endearing, more exciting, and one hundred percent more adorable. "Arizona, I find you miraculous, breathtakingly stunning. . .I can't stop looking at you. I want you, Arizona. God, I want you, baby. So, _so_ much. Every single day. You drive me crazy. . .you make my head spin. I've never wanted anyone more in my entire life," she honestly stated before clearing her throat and considering her next words. "Our first time. . .I want it to be. . .special - an experience that neither of us will ever forget. I want to lay you down and kiss every inch of you. I want to take my time. I want to worship your body, Arizona. I want to take you places you've never been."

Arizona swallowed hard, Callie's words forcing her to realize that she had been panicking over nothing. Listening to her girlfriend's beautiful voice say everything she needed to hear, she had never felt more wanted in her life. "I'm sorry. I don't have any explanation - well, not a good one at least - and not one that doesn't end with me saying I was _horny_," she replied with a sheepish grin.

Callie barked out a laugh. This woman was all kinds of adorable and she was all hers. If she needed her to tell her every day just how much she wanted her, she had no problem doing so. "You don't need to apologize, sweetheart. I get it. But, you believe me, right?" she asked. She wasn't altogether surprised that Arizona was feeling this way, her last relationship ending so badly and obviously denting her confidence. "I want to make love to you, Arizona, but I just need our first time to be something more than just a quick fuck. We can do that anytime, baby, and I'm sure we will. . ." she trailed off, teasing her now blushing girlfriend. "You're it for me, babe. You're the last person I will ever make love to. The person I want by my side - screaming my name - for the rest of my life."

Arizona couldn't help the hearty laugh that escaped her mouth at her girlfriend's tawdry, but sincere statement. Swallowing hard as she quickly wiped at the dampness on her cheeks, she pursed her lips, a sultry gleam in her eyes. "You're gonna make me scream, huh?"

Callie smugly shrugged her shoulders. "Odds are good," she said with a quick wink.

Arizona seductively held her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes twinkling with unshed tears. "So, you don't find me completely hideous?"

An incredulous laugh erupted from deep within Callie's chest. "You're kidding me, right?"

When Arizona didn't immediately respond, Callie suddenly realized the seriousness of her question. Scooting closer to her, she leaned in to nip at her earlobe. "Baby, if you weren't in this hospital right now, there would be no stopping the _naughty_. . ._dirty_. . ._filthy_. . .things I'd do to you."

"Jesus, Calliope," Arizona husked, Callie's hot breath and her suggestive words making her heart pound, her breathing becoming uneven.

"Just Callie is fine, babe," the Latina joked, happy to see her girlfriend much more relaxed.

"Hardy har har. Aren't you so funny," Arizona said with a roll of her eyes as she playfully punched Callie on the arm.

"Just one of my many talents that you're very lucky to experience," Callie teased. "Now, why don't you pick up that glass, because I want to make one more toast," she continued, reaching over to grab her glass of Chardonnay.

Following her girlfriend's lead, Arizona picked up her own glass holding it in midair as she gazed dreamily at Callie.

"To Us. To the love that we share. It's more than anyone could ever dream of. Oh! And also to many nights of amazing love making. . .and to me. . .making you. . .scream my name," Callie toasted as she winked at her blushing and grinning girlfriend.

Arizona again laughed aloud at Callie's second toast before clinking their glasses together.

They may not have be eating the most amazing French Food under the stars in Paris by the Eiffel Tower, but given the choice, this night would win out any day of the week.

* * *

**AN2: **Thanks so much for reading. We really look forward to hearing what you think! We love reading each and every one of your reviews/comments!


	7. Chapter 6

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

* * *

_**Chapter Six**_

* * *

Stepping out of the elevator and onto the oncology ward like she had done every morning for the past three months, Callie was surprised to see her best friend already emerging from room 1614. Quickly meeting Miranda stride for stride, the Latina anxiously tugged at the front of her lab coat. "You're here early. You don't usually see Arizona until later," she nonchalantly commented. "Umm. . .everything okay this morning?"

Miranda huffed, rolling her eyes at the overprotection her best friend felt for her girlfriend. "Yes, everything's fine, Torres. Just doing my rounds," she replied, stepping up to the nurses' station to jot something down in Arizona's chart. "I thought I'd start with Ms. Robbins first thing this morning before a certain _someone_ arrived. You know, so I didn't have to witness my patient and said _someone_ in any compromising positions. You wouldn't happy to have any idea what I'm talking about, would you, Torres?"

Callie glared at her best friend before rolling her eyes. "Oh, like I've never seen you doing the walk of shame out of an on-call room."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Miranda feigned ignorance.

"Oh, please," Callie scoffed. "Booty-Call Bailey ring any bells? You were the queen of getting laid in on-call rooms during our intern year. And besides. . .Arizona and I aren't even having. . ."

"Enough. No more. I don't want to hear it," Miranda quickly interrupted, holding her hand up an inch from Callie's face to stop her.

Callie laughed at her friend's antics. They'd been through so much together - the good, the bad, and the ugly - and though they weren't exactly what you would call perfectly matched as best friends, somehow their relationship just worked. She had no idea how she would have made it through so many of the crises she had endured if not for Miranda Bailey.

Closing Arizona's chart, Miranda clicked her pen before tossing it into her pocket. "Anyway. . ." she began by way of changing the subject. "Your girlfriend is doing well this morning. Everything looks great. She's thirty days post-transplant in a couple days. We'll run tests then, and if everything checks out, she'll be free to go. She'll need to follow up as an outpatient, but barring any complications, she'll be ready for discharge."

An overwhelming sense of concern flooded Callie's thoughts. She hadn't even thought about that. She and Arizona had been living within their own pretty pink bubble - even if that bubble consisted mostly of areas near the hospital - but she hadn't even considered what would happen once Arizona was well enough to be discharged.

Seeing her best friend's eyes glaze over in deep thought, Miranda waved her hands in front of her face. "You okay there, Callie? Hello? Did I lose you?"

Callie closed her eyes, visibly shaking herself from her reverie. "I. . .umm. . .well, I. . .I just never thought about it."

"Thought about what?" Miranda asked in confusion.

Callie tipped her head to the side, questions and concerns now racing through her mind. "What happens next," she quietly replied. "I never thought about what happens to _us_ once she was ready to leave the hospital. I mean, I asked her to stay. . .she's going to apply to finish her residency here, but. . .I never thought about where she would go next. Where she would live."

"Sounds like you have some thinking to do, then," Miranda replied as she turned from her best friend to continue on to her next patient.

"Well, yeah. . .but where. . .what. . ." Callie stammered, swiftly moving to catch up with her quickly escaping friend. "What do you think I should do?"

Miranda turned around to face the nervous Latina. Exhaling a deep breath, she smiled. "Do you love her?"

Callie rolled her eyes. Of course she loved Arizona. Had Miranda not been listening to her ramble on and on about her every day for the past three months?

"I can't tell you what to do, Callie, but what I can tell you is that I've never seen you like this before. I've never seen you so happy that you literally walk through the halls of this hospital with a spring in your step, bouncing up and down. You deserve that, Torres. You deserve to have what makes you bounce up and down."

* * *

Moments later, with her mind made up, Callie stepped through the partly opened door of room 1614. "Good morning, beautiful," she announced, smiling brightly as she stepped into the room.

Arizona looked up from the form she was filling out, offering her own breathtaking smile when she saw her usual morning visitor. "Hey there," she happily replied.

"How'd you sleep?" Callie asked, unsure of how to initiate the conversation she needed to have with her Arizona. Uncharacteristically remaining in the doorway instead of crossing the room to greet her girlfriend with a good morning kiss, she anxiously shifted her weight from side to side.

Noticing Callie's hesitance, Arizona patted the mattress, motioning for her to join her on the bed. Pushing her bedside table to the side, she smiled when Callie took a seat next to her. "I slept really well," she answered, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of raven hair behind a caramel ear. Searching her girlfriend's face, she sighed. "You okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Callie nodded slightly, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat. "I. . .I have something to ask you," she stated in a rush, her hands immediately moving to wring themselves together. "Arizona, I really care about you. . ."

Taking in the tell-tale sign of her girlfriend's anxiety and apprehension, Arizona felt her heart begin to race. "Oh my God. . .you. . .you're. . .breaking up with me," she stammered, leaning back to distance herself from the woman who was about the break her heart. "Is it the leukemia? Because the transplant worked, Callie. Bailey says I should be able to go home in a couple days. Or-or are you one of those fake lesbians? Just. . .just having a va-va-vacation in lesbian land?"

"Arizona, stop," Callie interrupted, reaching out to grasp her girlfriend's shoulder. "It's nothing. . ._bad_."

Upon hearing Callie's admission, some of the tension visibly left Arizona's body as she stared into the soulful chocolate brown eyes of the woman she loved. "Well, what is it then, Calliope? Because you're scaring the Hell out of me right now."

"I want you to move in with me," Callie quickly interrupted in a rush of words. "I love you, and you've been living out of a duffle bag here in the hospital for the past three months. I want you to have more. You _deserve_ more. I want you to have a whole dresser and a whole blow-dryer or something. . .more romantic than that," she rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of her statement. "You said you'd stay - that you'd finish your residency here. But, you need a place to go - a place to live. So. . .I want you. . .to live. . .with me." Callie stopped, staring at her girlfriend, scared out of her mind when Arizona's face remained blank and completely unreadable.

As Callie's heart sank into the pit of her stomach and unexplained tears began to brim in her eyes, Arizona launched herself across the bed, throwing the startled Latina onto her back as she pressed hard kisses all over her face. "I would love to have a dresser. . ." _Kiss. _"Or a blow-dryer. . ." _Kiss. _"Or something more romantic than that."

With that last statement, Arizona pressed her lips to Callie's, her tongue tracing a plump bottom lip, begging for entry. Once granted access to her girlfriend's luscious mouth, Arizona moaned as a tongue peeked out to meet her own. Needy ivory hands then reached under a starched lab coat to caress full breasts. "Mmmm. . .Arizona. . ." the Latina groaned as her own hands massaged the firm muscles of a magnificently rounded ass.

Just as their kiss became more heated, hands roaming all over aroused bodies, the piercing sound of a pager echoed off the walls of the small hospital room. Going completely still, Arizona's head fell to her girlfriend's shoulder. "I'm never going to get lucky, am I?" she half-heartedly teased, grudgingly willing to wait until her discharge from the hospital to make love to her stunning girlfriend.

Callie softly chuckled as she sat up, gently moving Arizona to relax back against the pillows. "Trust me. You're _so_ gonna get lucky. _Really_ lucky. Eventually. I promise," she replied with a wink. Reluctantly standing from the bed, she leaned over to plant one last kiss on her girlfriend's lips. "I have to go. I have an angioplasty in fifteen minutes," she stated when she pulled back.

Arizona nodded in understanding, though her hands betrayed her when they reached forward to once again take painfully aroused breasts into their grasp. Brushing her lips and tongue against the skin of Callie's neck, she smiled when she heard her girlfriend moan in appreciation, her chest thrusting forward to meet her touch.

As quickly as Arizona's hands were on her breasts, however, they were gone. "You need to leave," she insisted.

"Arizona!" Callie whined, fully prepared to spend just a few more minutes being molested by her girlfriend's magnificent lips and incredibly talented hands.

"What?" she chuckled.

"How am I supposed to concentrate on my surgery when all I'm going to be able to think about now is your hands on my boobs and you lips and tongue tickling my neck?"

Arizona shrugged her shoulders. "You're awesome, Calliope," she insisted as she shooed her away. "I'm sure you'll figure it out."

* * *

Nervously chewing on her thumbnail, Arizona fiddled with the iPhone she held in her hand, staring at it like it was some kind of foreign object left on planet Earth by a UFO. Her iPhone was a gift from Alex for her last birthday - one she had adamantly declined stating that it was too expensive - but one that he had insisted every well respected surgeon needed to have.

Deciding to just bite the bullet and get this conversation over with, she hastily dialed his number, closing her eyes as she listened to the ringtone as she waited for him to pick up on the other end. As butterflies fluttered around in her stomach, she silently chastised herself for the nerves she felt.

This feeling was a rarity. Never before had she ever felt nervous about talking to her best friend. Their friendship just came naturally, and with the exception of a very rare disagreement - their biggest being when Alex found out about her relationship with Callie - Arizona was now worried sick at how he would take the news that she had decided to remain in Seattle.

After listening to the ninth monotonous ring of the phone, Arizona dropped it from her ear, but the second before she pushed the end button, she heard her name being called.

"_Arizona?"_

Jumping at the sound, she fumbled with her phone before quickly bringing it back to her ear. "Hey, Alex. How are you?" she asked, easing herself into the conversation.

"_Same old, same old. You know how it goes_," Alex offered. "_Question is, though. . .how are you_?" he asked, the concern evident in his gruff tone.

"Good. . .actually, I'm great," she replied.

"_Yeah? That's great Arizona_," Alex stated, seemingly surprised by her response. "_Any particular reason you're calling? Or did you just miss your awesome best friend_?" he teased on the other end of the line.

Arizona chuckled at her friend's not so subtle humor. Flopping back onto her bed, she smiled brightly. She really had missed him. A lot. "I have missed you, actually. . .but, to be honest, I'm calling with some news. Really good news!" she enthusiastically replied.

Alex cleared his throat. "_Ok. . .well, out with it, Robbins_."

"Well. . .as of tomorrow. . .pending positive results on my thirty day post-transplant blood work and tests, I'm being discharged," she informed him, readying herself for the explosion of shouts and cheers she knew would accompany her response.

Sure enough, her usually surly best friend didn't disappoint. Pulling the phone away from her ear, she couldn't help but laugh at his antics, feeling a warmth settle over her as she listened to his exuberance that she was sure was accompanied by a few fist pumps as well.

When she heard him begin to settle, she placed the phone back against her ear, listening to him ramble away.

"_That's awesome, Arizona! I'm so happy for you. I've been waiting for this day for months. If I book a flight right now, I should be able to be in Seattle by midafternoon, tomorrow. I'm sure Stark won't mind me taking a couple days off. I'll fly up and help you get ready to come home_," Alex excitedly rambled as he began making plans in his head for a huge celebration.

Swallowing hard, Arizona took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. Knowing her next words would be a blow to Alex, she willed herself to push through. "Alex. . ." she sighed into the phone.

"_I'm finally getting my best friend back, and I can't wait_," he uncharacteristically gushed, causing Arizona's already fragile heart to plummet even more.

"Alex. . ."

"_We are so having a welcome home party when you get here."_

"Alex!" Arizona stated, more firmly this time, causing him to stop his ramblings. "I-I'm not coming back. . .I'm s-staying in Seattle. . .with Callie," she stated, nervously delivering the news.

Silence.

Complete and highly uncomfortable silence.

Something they had never ever experienced in their nearly five years as friends.

"Alex?" Arizona called.

No response.

Silence.

"Alex, please. Say something," Arizona begged, hating that she had just wounded the man who had been there for her through thick and thin.

"_What do you want me to say, Arizona_?" Alex finally hissed. "_You've clearly already made up your mind. There's nothing for me to say_," he huffed into the phone, his normal blunt and abrasive demeanor surfacing.

"Alex, please don't be like that," Arizona softly pled, swinging her legs over the side of the bed to sit up.

"_Like what Arizona? I'm not being like anything. Do what you want to do_."

"Alex. . ." Arizona said for what felt like the hundredth time during this conversation, completely unsure of what else to say. She knew this was his defense mechanism - when he was hurt or frustrated - he simply acted like a total ass.

"_Listen, I have to go. I have a surgery in ten. I won't bother flying out tomorrow. No need to since Callie's there to do everything. I'll just. . .I'll talk to you later_," Alex abruptly stated.

Oh, Hell No! Arizona nearly spat. Alex had every right to be upset, but there was no way in Hell she was going to let him just dismiss her like that like. "Alexander Michael Karev! You hang up on me, and I swear to God the moment I get discharged tomorrow, I will fly to Baltimore and kick your ass!" she barked into the phone.

"_I have nothing to say to you, Arizona_," he yelled back. "_I don't know why you even bothered calling me. It's clear that Callie is the only thing that matters to you, now. So stay in Seattle, Arizona. Forget your friends and your family and your job and. . .me, and just do whatever the Hell Callie wants_," he belligerently spat, knowing full-well that his words were unfair. He had been supportive of Arizona's relationship, despite his better judgment, but he had to draw the line at the Latina taking Arizona away from her home and from him.

Alex's words were like a knife through her heart. She knew this discussion wouldn't be an easy one, but there was no way she could have anticipated this. He had never spoken to her like this - with such frigid detachment. While his attitude saddened her, she also felt sudden rage and annoyance at his behavior. Leaving her girlfriend just wasn't an option. Sure she loved Baltimore - it was familiar and safe - and Alex and her family were there. But now, wherever Callie was, was where she was supposed to be. Clearly Alex wasn't as happy with her relationship as he had led her to believe.

Inhaling a deep breath, Arizona tried to compose herself. "I don't want to fight with you, Alex. . .but that. . .that's not fair. I love her, Alex. I thought you understood that. You told me you understood," she argued, though her tone was soft.

"_I do understand, Arizona. I get it, okay? You love her. . .you've told me that a million times. She's perfect, and she's wonderful, and she's there for you_," he petulantly stated. "_I mean, why would you come back here, right? Why would you come back to a place where there's obviously nothing or no one worth coming back for_?" he continued.

Knowing that his words were borne out of nothing more than hurt and the fear of change and not necessarily aimed at her, Arizona softened. "I'm not leaving you, Alex. I could never leave you. You know that," she honestly stated.

"_Sure feels like it_," Alex huffed, though he was losing steam.

Arizona sighed into the phone. "You could never lose me, Alex. I might be staying here in Seattle, but you're still my best friend. You're like a brother to me. No one has been there for me like you have. But. . .Callie. . .she's the love of my life, Alex. She's the person I want to spend the rest of my life loving," she replied.

Receiving no response, she decided to continue. "No one will ever replace you, Alex. Not even Callie. . .because you're _you_. You're the guy who slept on my couch for a month after Carlie left. The person who has been there for me through every single chemo treatment and bone marrow transplant. The man who has protected me no matter what. I'll never be able to thank you enough, Alex. Because you're my best friend, and you always will be. . ." Arizona softly trailed off, unshed tears stinging her eyes.

Silence.

"_It just seems like. . .you don't need me anymore_," Alex gruffly admitted after several long moments of quiet.

"Alex. . ." Arizona again repeated, at a loss for words. She really wasn't sure how to comfort this usually stoic man. She understood that this was hard on him - it was hard on her, too. She would be kidding herself if she said she wouldn't miss him. He had been her person for five years. They had done everything together - worked together, grown and learned together, spent lazy days lounging around eating pizza and drinking beer together. Most of all, though, she would miss the man who at only a moment's notice was willing to step up and protect her. She would miss the man who looked at her like she was someone to aspire to be.

"_No, I get it, Arizona. I really do. It's just that. . .it's us, you know? Arizona and Alex against the world. A-squared.__We were supposed to finish our residencies together and go pick up hot chicks in our free time. We were supposed to become great together, and now you're going to become great with. . .Callie. I'm going to lose my Costello_."

"You're what?" Arizona asked, completely confused.

"_You know Abbott and Costello? That's us, Arizona. We're like peanut butter and jelly, Bert and Ernie, spaghetti and meatballs_."

There was a beat of silence before Arizona burst into hysterical laughter. Clutching her stomach with one hand, she tried in vain to hang on to the phone in the other without dropping it to the tiled hospital floor. "Oh my God, Alex! Can you even hear yourself, right now? Where the Hell did you come up with that?!" she asked, trying mightily to control her laughter.

"_Whatever, Arizona! You know what I mean! It was supposed to be the two of us, and it just feels like she's. . .taking you away from me_," he replied almost childishly. He couldn't help it. The thought of his best friend being completely across the country from him and not where he could be near her, was something he had never considered. He just assumed they'd always be together.

Wiping the tears that had fallen from laughing so hard, Arizona tried to compose herself. Clearing her throat, she attempted to put into words exactly how she was feeling. "Callie isn't taking me away from you, Alex. I'm choosing to stay here because I'm in love with her. You had to know that we couldn't always live the. . .bachelor life. It was inevitable that one or both of us would meet someone one day. I love her, Alex and. . .I need to be where she is. She makes me so, _so_ happy. Can you please try to understand that? For me? Please?"

After a long pause, Arizona worried that Alex had just given up, but he surprised her when he finally spoke.

"_I do understand, Arizona. Of course I do. I. . .this. . .I guess I just feel. . .uh. . .threatened by her_," he hesitantly admitted, glad that Arizona couldn't see his face. He was decidedly uncomfortable with this conversation. He didn't want to be a selfish jerk, but Arizona not coming back to Baltimore - back to him - fucking sucked.

"Oh, Alex."

"_No, don't do that! Don't feel sorry for me," _he quickly insisted_. "I'll be fine. You deserve to be happy, Robbins. . .and if she makes you happy, then I'm happy for you. I'm just. . .bummed that my best friend isn't going to be here. . .with me_."

"Alex. . .I love you, and I know you hate hearing me say that, but I do. Without you. . .God, Alex. . .without you, I wouldn't be here today. You've been my rock. I owe my life to you, and I'll forever be grateful. You are irreplaceable, but. . .my home is where Callie is, now. I want you to be in my life. . .in fact, I still _need _you in my life. Moving doesn't change who we are. It just means a lot of Skype, a lot of texting, and both of us using vacation time to fly out to see each other. We're only a plane ride away," Arizona insisted, a few tears dripping down her cheeks. In a way, it felt like goodbye, but she knew it wasn't - not if she had anything to do with it - not by a long shot.

Alex cleared his throat, trying to hide the emotion he was sure would be evident in his voice when he spoke. "_Well, I can hardly be pissy after that little speech, can I? Jeez, Robbins! You sure know how to guilt a guy into being supportive, don't you_?" he joked.

"You're such an ass, Alex Karev!" Arizona said with a roll of her moist blue eyes.

Alex laughed, brusquely wiping a tear from his face. "Yeah, I guess I am," he agreed. "So, you. . .uh. . .you wouldn't mind if I came out and visited you and your woman from time to time, then?"

"Are you kidding me?" Arizona incredulously questioned. "Of course, I wouldn't mind. I'd love for you come visit us. . .as much as you can manage. I meant what I said, Alex. I'm still going to need you. Just because we live in different places doesn't mean we're just going to stop talking. I may have a new home now, but you know there's always a place for you. . .wherever I may be. I'd love for you to get to know Callie better, and for her to see just how great of a guy you really are," she honestly replied.

"_Okay. . .cool. I've already got some time saved up, so I might be able to make it down in a month or so, once you're settled_," Alex offered.

Beaming on the other side of the phone, Arizona felt a weight lift off her shoulders. The thought of not being with Alex when she wanted to still slightly saddened her, but she was more than ready to begin this new adventure with Callie. "Awesome! And, of course I'll call you all the time and Skype you and text you. You'll be sick of me by the time you come to see me," she perkily replied as she relaxed back onto the bed.

"_Yeah, You're probably right_."

"Alex!" Arizona exclaimed. "You weren't supposed to agree with me on that one," she teasingly scolded.

Alex's hearty male laugh echoed through the phone. "_Just kidding, Robbins. There's no way I could ever be sick of you_."

* * *

"_I'm India Mood for Love, Feelin' Hot-Hot-Hot, or. . .Kiss on the Chic_?" Callie asked as she searched through a cosmetic bag full of nail polish colors.

Arizona looked up from the _Us Weekly_ she was searching through. "Umm. . .all of the above?" she teased, glancing down at Callie who sat at the foot of her hospital bed with her flip-flop covered feet resting in Arizona's lap, three small bottles of polish in the Latina's hands.

Callie chuckled softly as she crawled up the bed to hover over her girlfriend. "You? _Feelin' hot_? Not you! Not, Arizona Robbins," she scoffed. "But, since you are _India Mood for Love, _I think you deserve a _Kiss on the Chic_," she seductively continued, comically wagging her eyebrows as she leaned down to first brush her lips against a smooth ivory cheek before laying another kiss at the corner of Arizona's mouth.

When Callie began to pull back, insistent pale hands halted her escape as fingers tangled themselves into thick raven tresses, pulling her down further so that Arizona could properly kiss her. As those needy hands continued to tug at Callie's hair, her own hands dropped the bottles of nail polish to the mattress as they snuck under Arizona's shirt to caress silky flesh. "Mmm, I love you," Callie hummed against moist lips when she was finally allowed up for air. "And, I love lazy Sundays. Sunday has to be my favorite day of the week."

Arizona leaned forward to peck at plump lips before releasing her hold on Callie's hair, allowing the Latina to resume her spot at the foot of her bed. "If we get to spend every Sunday just like this," she commented as she licked her lips, "then they're going to be my favorite day of the week, too."

Callie smiled as she retrieved the forgotten bottles that had landed at her girlfriend's sides. "So, what do you think?" she asked as she held them up for Arizona's inspection.

"I'll take. . .pink," she replied.

Callie looked at the bottles in her hand. "They're _all_ pink, Arizona," Callie teasingly chastised.

Arizona noncommittally shrugged her shoulders. "Well then, just surprise me," she said with a wink.

Choosing her favorite of the very un-badass pinks she held in her hand, Callie set out to first massage her girlfriend's feet.

Arizona intently watched as Callie pampered her. "You know," she began, her voice sweet as sugar. "I could give you a massage, too," she offered, biting her bottom lip and closing her eyes as she reveled in the intoxicating sensation of Callie's strong hands working out the stress held in the arches of her feet.

Callie laughed as she kicked off the flip flops she was wearing, making herself more comfortable on Arizona's bed. "With your girly hands?" she jokingly asked. "Forget it," she replied as she stopped her ministrations to begin painting her girlfriend's toe nails.

Arizona watched as Callie went about her work, chuckling softly when she saw her girlfriend draw her bottom lip between her teeth, worrying it in complete concentration. Reaching down, she let out a contented sigh as she gently rubbed abstract figures over Callie's outstretched leg. Starting at the ankle hidden under a pair of black yoga pants, she continued to caress up her silky smooth calf.

This was the life. Spending the entire day with Callie doing _nothing_. . .but _everything_ all at the same time. Arizona sighed. She could really get used to this. It didn't really matter what they were doing. She enjoyed just spending uninterrupted time together with her girlfriend, even it was inside the walls of the hospital. That was all going to change very soon, though. Just one more day.

As Callie moved from one foot to the next, Arizona kicked slightly when her girlfriend's hand brushed against the underside of her foot, slightly tickling her. "You know, I could see us ten years from now in a big old house spending our Sundays together. We could just lie in bed together all day long or lounge around in our sweats doing nothing at all."

Callie felt her heart swell at the sound of Arizona talking about their future together - not just the immediate future, but years from now. "Hmm. . .a big house? I'm in," she happily replied. "Ooh, and, can we have dogs?"

"Well, it's on my list," Arizona nonchalantly replied. "Of course we can have dogs."

Finishing up Arizona's nails, Callie scooted up the bed to sit next to her girlfriend, wrapping one arm around her waist, her fingertips making contact with the strip of smooth skin on her back exposed from where her t-shirt had ridden up.

"Hmm. . .this feels nice," Arizona murmured, wrapping her own arm around Callie as she rested her head against the Latina's shoulder.

"It does," Callie agreed.

They sat in comfortable silence, relaxing in each other's arms, fully content and feeling safe and sound in the presence of each other - like this was exactly where they were meant to be.

"We should get a puppy!" Callie suddenly exclaimed, her voice penetrating the silence as she dug through her bag to grab her iPad from within.

"Now?!" Arizona asked in disbelief.

"Why not?" Callie questioned. "You get to go home tomorrow, Arizona. I'll be here at the hospital most of the time, and sure, you'll be here finishing your residency in a few months, but a dog could keep you company until then."

Arizona watched in amazement as Callie Googled pet shelters with animals for adoption in the greater Seattle area. The fact that she had met this amazing woman only three months ago, that they had declared their love for each other in less than that, and that she was moving in with said woman tomorrow, still took her by surprise. She certainly didn't regret a moment of the time they had spent together by any means, but the fact that Callie was so willing to make her happy, for some reason, never ceased to amaze her. She had never experienced a love like this before - not even in her previous relationship that had lasted for almost three years.

"So, what do you say?" Callie asked, pulling Arizona from her silent musings.

A dimpled grin slowly crept onto Arizona's face. "I say. . ."

Callie was stunned when Arizona answered her not with words, but with a hard kiss against her lips. Dropping her iPad to her lap, she then laced her arms around her girlfriend's waist as Arizona pulled her closer with the hands tugging at the sides of her face. Their tongues massaged against each other, lips nipping and sucking the other's into their mouths. "Mmm. I love your lips," Callie admitted, her words muffled against Arizona's mouth.

"And, I love you," Arizona replied, leaning away for a breath.

"So, I'll take that as a yes to the puppy?"

"Yes, Calliope! Definitely a yes to the puppy."

* * *

"All I'm saying is that _Rugrat_. . .isn't a very badass name for a Cavalier King Charles puppy," Callie argued an hour later once they had finally decided on the dog they would like to adopt.

Arizona rolled her eyes. "There's _nothing_ badass about a Cavalier King Charles, anyway, Calliope," she protested with a wave of her hand. "Just look at his sweet little face, though," she continued, holding up the picture on the display of her girlfriend's iPad. "Does he look like a _T-Bone _or a _Diesel_ to you?"

Callie looked at the screen, staring into the big brown eyes of the puppy in question. She and Arizona both had fallen in love with that little face the moment they first laid eyes on his picture. Taking the iPad, Callie flicked her gaze from those adorable chocolate puppy dog eyes to the bright blue ones of her girlfriend. "Fine," she relented with a sigh. "No _T-Bone or Sting_ or _Diesel_, but. . .no _Rugrat_ or _Nibbles_, either," she insisted, wagging her index finger at her girlfriend.

Arizona let out a huff, grabbing Callie's finger away from her face. "Fine," she conceded with a sly smile. "We can just decide on a name when we get him."

Callie nodded her agreement, leaning in to seal the deal with a kiss. Wanting more, she massaged Arizona's pajama pant clad hips with impulsive fingers before pulling her upward and moving her to straddle her hips. Sitting back on her heels, Arizona moved the iPad from Callie's lap, depositing it on the bedside table to her right. Not saying a word, she leaned forward to kiss the caramel clavicle peeking out from the tank top and zip-up hoodie her girlfriend was wearing.

Moving further down Callie's chest, Arizona playfully nipped at quickly hardening nipples that brushed painfully against the satiny material of the Latina's bra. "Mmm, Arizona," she moaned, resting her hands over the scarf covering the back of her girlfriend's head to keep her in place.

"Do you like that, baby?" Arizona husked, turning her attention to the other breast.

Callie's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she gripped her girlfriend's head more firmly, unable to stop herself when she urged her southward.

"What the Hell did I tell the two of you about doing _the nasty_ in my hospital?" Miranda Bailey shouted, her voice cutting through their sexy time like the shot of a starter pistol at a track race.

The two guilty women instantly moved apart, Callie quickly jumping from the bed and nearly stumbling to the floor as Arizona harshly fell back onto the pillows in a mess of flailing limbs.

Looking down at herself, Callie quickly zipped up her sweatshirt when she noticed the wet marks left from Arizona wandering lips and tongue that now tainted the front of her tank top. "Wh-what's up, Bailey?" she nonchalantly asked, though her cheeks blushed bright red.

Arizona seemed almost amused by Callie's embarrassed demeanor as she glanced between her anxious girlfriend and her sassy little doctor. "May I help you, Dr. Bailey?" Arizona questioned, apparently unaffected by the fact that she had nearly been caught with the face buried between her girlfriend's thighs. They were fully clothed for God's sake!

Miranda sternly regarded her friend and patient, mumbling something unintelligible and rolling her eyes as she approached Arizona's bed. "You know the drill, Robbins. Today's the day for your thirty day post-transplant blood work. If everything looks okay, I'm going to release you, but only into the care of Dr. Torres," Miranda instructed, her tone serious. "Though, I still want you to come in for daily check-ups for the first couple weeks."

Arizona looked from her doctor to her girlfriend as Miranda tied a tourniquet around her upper arm. Callie held her girlfriend's free hand between her own, watching as a sixteen gauge needle pierced her ivory skin.

"Oh my God! Holy shit!" Arizona screamed causing her girlfriend and doctor to jump a mile into the air.

"Arizona? What is it, sweetie?"

"What, Robbins? What's the matter?"

Callie and Miranda anxious questions simultaneously filled the room, the worry evident in their every feature.

Arizona's grimace quickly screwed up into the dimpled grin of a Cheshire cat before her body soon became consumed with laughter. "Kidding. I'm. . .fine," she stammered through a fit of giggles. "You should. . .you should see the look. . .on your. . .faces."

* * *

"This is nice," Callie happily commented later that day as she sat with her girlfriend and best friend outside the hospital at one of several wooden picnic tables.

"It really is. I could really get used to this," Arizona commented. "It's a beautiful day and what better way to spend it than eating lunch with my beautiful girlfriend and my super awesome doctor," she continued, smiling lovingly at Callie who was seated next to her.

"Lovesick teenagers. . .need to get a room. . .preferably not at the hospital. . ." Miranda muttered as she watched the two women stare at each other with disgustingly silly smiles on their faces.

"What was that, Bailey?" Callie asked, breaking her staring contest with her girlfriend.

Miranda waved her hand haphazardly through the air. "Oh nothing, Torres. Just wondering why you invited me to lunch if all you and Robbins are going to do is stare at each other with that ridiculous look on your face," she huffed as she opened her Caesar Salad.

Rolling her eyes, Callie picked up her orange juice. "Always straight to the point aren't you, Bailey?" she remarked. "I invited you here to get to know Arizona."

Following suit, Miranda rolled her own dark brown eyes as she speared a piece of lettuce with her fork. "I already _know_ Arizona."

"No," Callie quickly countered. "You know Arizona. . .your patient. Not Arizona. . .my girlfriend. Not Arizona, the woman who makes my world spin and who makes me deliriously, out of my mind happy," she stated as she turned to look at the woman who sat beaming back at her.

Miranda watched as the two women once again got lost in their own world. Despite the fact that all the goo-goo eyes and inappropriate activities made her want to vomit, she could see how truly happy they made each other. It had been a long time since she'd seen her best friend this happy, and as cliché as it sounded, Callie literally glowed these days. She now sang cheerfully under her breath while she operated, while also using words like _super_ and _awesome_. It was more than nauseating at times, but in all honestly, it warmed her heart to see Callie this happy.

Finally.

There was no doubt in Miranda Bailey's mind that this unusual love story was going to eventually become something epic.

"Alright, alright, Torres. I get it!" Bailey snapped.

Callie narrowed her eyes at her best friend. "You're such a grump, sometimes," she teasingly scolded. "You're blunt, mean, and sometimes you're downright scary, but. . .I love you. Because you're loyal and compassionate and my best friend in the entire world."

"Fine. Fine. Enough. No more of this mushy crap," Miranda conceded as she popped a crouton into her mouth. Slowly chewing her food, she looked over at the blonde who sat smiling at her and waiting expectantly. "So. . .Robbins. . .any dark secrets you'd like to share? You know, in case you decide to break poor Callie's heart, and I have to stock up on tissues and tequila?" she jokingly asked, though there was some seriousness to her questions.

Arizona opened her mouth to respond, but Callie beat her to it. "Bailey! That's not what I meant by getting to know her!" she retorted, shooting her girlfriend an apologetic look.

Arizona smiled in amusement at the indignant look on Callie's face. She really was something. So protective of her, not that she needed it, because she was a good man in a storm and had no problem with answering Miranda's question. She remembered all too well how Alex had reacted to the news of her relationship with Callie, and she also vividly remembered how he had treated the Latina when he saw them together, so in comparison. . .this was a piece of cake.

"Babe, it's fine. Really," Arizona calmly stated, placing a pale hand over a tanned wrist.

"Yeah, Torres! You heard the woman. It's fine. I'm just getting to know her like you asked me to."

Callie scowled, but otherwise didn't say anything, choosing instead to take a bite of her fiesta chicken wrap.

Arizona looked across the table at Bailey who was absently picking at her banana bran muffin as she awaited her response. Setting her chocolate milkshake aside, she carefully considered her next words. "I really don't have any skeletons in my closet. I have no secrets from Callie. She knows the good and the bad and everything in between. I also love her with all my heart and never plan on hurting her. I'm going to love her and protect her and spend however long she'll have me making her happy," she replied with conviction, her blue eyes never straying from the brown ones across from her.

Miranda never broke her gaze, those blue eyes staring intently at her, never wavering once. She could feel Callie's eyes on her at the same time, but didn't look away. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of contemplation, Miranda nodded her head.

"So, do I pass?" Arizona joked as she fiddled with the straw in her drink.

Bailey genuinely laughed for the first time, allowing Callie to release the breath she had been holding. "Never once doubted you, Robbins. But, now that I know you're not going to hurt her, I have to ask you something."

"Hmm, what's that?" Arizona asked as she reached down, allowing her fingers tangle with Callie's.

Adopting her most serious of glares, Miranda continued. "Are _you _sure you know what you're getting yourself into by moving in with this one?" she asked, jerking her thumb across the table toward her best friend.

Callie's eyes went wide. "Hey! I'm awesome to live with. Thank you very much!" she exclaimed, causing Arizona to laugh and Miranda to roll her eyes for the millionth time since their lunch began.

"I lived with you for almost five years, Torres," Miranda simply stated.

Arizona watched the two best friends incredulously stare each other down, finding their relationship to be one of great amusement. Her girlfriend - loving, incredibly kind, and so gentle where Miranda Bailey was stern and sullen, and just so. . .Bailey. At times, it was difficult for her to comprehend how the two were so close, but then - it was times like this - when they were jokingly giving each other the evil eye that she saw how well matched the two friends really were.

"That's right, you did live with me. So, you can tell Arizona what an awesome roommate I am," Callie pointedly insisted.

"Or. . .I could tell her how. . .sometimes you sleepwalk. Or how you like to dance around to really bad music, wearing nothing by a t-shirt and underwear!" Bailey triumphantly argued.

"Uh. . .you dance around in your underwear?" Arizona asked, her eyes glazing over as she imagined those long tanned legs topped off with a pair of lacy black boy shorts, luscious hips swaying to an unknown beat.

Instantly recognizing the lust suddenly brewing in Arizona's darkened eyes, Callie threw her head back with a hearty laugh. "Yep. It's fun. Why? Would you have a problem with that?" she teasingly asked, knowing full well that Arizona's answer would be a resounding - Hell No!

Arizona visibly shook herself from her promiscuous reverie. "Nope! No problem here at all. In fact, I think it should be encouraged. We should make it a rule, actually. Dancing in your underwear is mandatory," she dreamily replied.

Miranda loudly coughed, yet again breaking the two women out of the pretty pink bubble they so often got stuck in. "She's also been known to take up a king size bed all on her own, and when she's upset, you'll generally find her crying into a bowl of Cheerios," she added, recalling witnessing that sight a few times during their undergrad years.

Smirking when Callie shot her a scowl across the table at the mention of the last one, Miranda ducked as a baby carrot came flying toward her head.

Sympathetically cooing at the mention of a crying Callie, Arizona moved closer to wrap her arm around the Latina's waist. "Well, I promise to never make you cry into your cereal," she jokingly stated before leaning up to softly kiss orange juice tainted lips.

Both set of eyes gently fell closed as lips melded together. Bringing a hand up to caress a smooth ivory cheek, Callie sighed into the kiss as familiar butterflies began to flutter about in her stomach.

For once, Miranda didn't scold or tell them to cut it out, watching briefly, her own heart lightening at the presence of the pure love she was witnessing. Torres and Robbins were undoubtedly a sight to behold, their love evident in every move they made, every word they spoke, and every gentle touch one laid on the other.

Pulling back, Callie slightly blushed when she remembered they weren't alone - that her Nazi of a friend was still sitting across from them. Looking over at her best friend, she saw the shorter woman smiling back at them, a rarity for sure, but she also knew it was Miranda Bailey's official stamp of approval.

"Anything else, Bailey?" Arizona cheekily asked as she loudly crunched into one of Callie's baby carrots.

"I did forget one thing. . ." she teased, glancing over at Callie.

Arizona expectantly regarded her.

"While Torres dancing around in her underwear doesn't exactly float my boat, I will admit that I did get to experience the most amazing Chicken Piccata. . .that just so happens to have been prepared while she sang and danced around the kitchen in said underwear," Miranda replied, laughing at the scowl on her best friend's face.

"Best Chicken Picasa I bet you've ever had!" Callie muttered.

"It certainly was, Torres. I've got to give it to her, Robbins. Girl can cook!"

"That's exactly the person I've been searching for. A woman who dances _and_ cooks while wearing nothing but her underwear!" Arizona cheerfully exclaimed. "Where have you been all my life, Calliope Torres?!"

All three woman burst into laughter at the blonde's words.

Finally settling down, Miranda sipped from her bottle of water. "So, you ready to take all that on, Arizona?"

Winking at her doctor and new friend, Arizona turned to Callie who was staring at her with a megawatt smile. "Never been more ready for anything in my life."

* * *

The following morning, Arizona hastily moved around her small room, gathering her belongings in preparation for her release from the hospital. Reaching for her vibrating phone that lay on her bedside table, she smiled brightly when she read the text message that awaited her.

_Hey, babe. Getting the apartment all ready to welcome you home and then running a couple errands. I'll be there to pick you up in less than an hour. ;)_

_I can't wait! I'm super excited!_

_Me too! Gotta run, though. I'll see you soon!_

_You know where to find me! ;)_

Tossing her phone aside, Arizona threw the last of her clothes into her oversized duffel bag, sighing happily as she flopped back onto the bed.

Today was the day.

The day she'd been waiting forever for.

The day she finally got to start living her life outside the four walls of a hospital.

The day she got to start her new life with Callie - the most amazing woman she had ever met.

A woman who had stolen her heart with one look.

A woman who had turned her world upside down and made her believe in happily ever after.

Kicking her legs and flailing her arms in excitement, she let out a high pitched squeal, not caring in the least if passersby thought she was crazy. She was ecstatic - overjoyed and finally happy - after such a long time of being utterly miserable.

Arizona was so full of energy that she couldn't sit still, so picking her phone back up, she decided to text Alex, her thumbs working quickly across the keypad to type a rambled, nonsensical message. Before she could press send, however, she heard movement in the room. Pausing, she looked up from her phone to see Miranda Bailey standing in the doorway, the woman's presence serving to quadruple her unbridled excitement.

She'd thought about this day for as long as she could remember and now with Callie in her life, this day had become more important than ever. She had spent months of being stuck in a hospital where it felt like she was being suffocated, but not after today. She'd thought long and hard about the first thing she wanted to do once she was released, and originally she had planned to high tail it back to Baltimore and take Alex out for a night of drinking and dancing, but now, there was only one thing she wanted to do.

One thing she'd not been able to stop thinking about since a certain gorgeous cardio surgeon wandered into her life.

She had tolerated weeks of Callie's flirting and teasing. Weeks of trying to suppress her out of control libido.

But not anymore. The first thing she was going to do - the minute she was released - was drag Callie back to her. . ._their_ apartment and _finally _make love to her.

Oh, yeah. This day really couldn't get any better! Any second now, she was going to be a free woman, and she couldn't wait.

"Bailey! Hey! You here to give me my clean bill of health so I can get the Hell out of this place?!" Arizona enthusiastically asked as she jumped up, cheerfully bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Miranda watched the obviously ecstatic woman in front of her - the woman who had become her best friend's girlfriend, her soul mate. A woman whom she personally had become more than a little fond of - a woman she had grown to care about. Her bright blue eyes sparkling and the excitement she was feeling was enough to make the grumpiest of people grin. With a shaky smile, the oncology resident took a calming breath before stepping into the room that had become a source of entertainment for her - a place of warmth and love.

"As much as I love you, Bailey. . .and I really do, I'd love it if you could just give me the good news like right now, because I have a date with the most beautiful woman in the world tonight, and I really don't want to be late," Arizona stated with a cheeky wink. Smile still on her face as she exuberantly bounced in one spot, Arizona's face slowly fell when Miranda opened and closed her mouth several times with no words coming out. "Bailey?" she hesitantly questioned, inquisitively cocking her head to one side.

Despite all her rules about getting involved in the personal lives of others - after all her lectures to her interns about remaining professional and not getting attached - she couldn't help the look of sheer devastation she was sure was on her face. Arizona Robbins was one of the genuinely nicest and sweetest human beings she had ever had the pleasure of meeting, and her heart plummeted as she gazed into the hopeful blue eyes of the woman in front of her.

Not only had Arizona fought against a bitch of a disease - something Miranda greatly admired - she had also turned her best friend's life around. She had found love in the most unlikely of places, and now. . .now she felt like she was about to rip it all away from her.

Bowing her head, unable to maintain eye contact she uttered one single word. "Arizona. . ."

One word.

That was all it took to cause Arizona's face to detour from completely happy to absolutely devastated.

One word.

Was all it took to snatch away the happiness she had worked so hard to get.

One word.

To shatter the dreams she had allowed herself to believe in.

"No. . .No. . .No. . ." Arizona whispered, defiantly shaking her head. Her words dripping with disbelief echoed throughout the small room, bouncing almost eerily off the institutional white walls.

"I. . .I. . .where's Callie? We need to get her here, now," Bailey insisted, trying to clear her head and compose herself. Arizona needed someone to be strong for her now, not her doctor who was, herself, seconds away from falling apart.

Arizona shook her head, her eyes going hazy, her head a foggy mess. She opened her mouth, intending to yell at the shorter woman - she wanted to scold her for telling her such vicious lies, to scream at her that it wasn't true - but one look at Miranda's face and Arizona just _knew_. It felt like the wind had just been knocked from her lungs, that at that very moment, the ground had opened up beneath her. She tried to fight it, but the last of her fight was gone, dying when Bailey uttered her name.

One word.

One minute she was standing, the next she was falling.

Rushing forward, Miranda caught the now broken woman before she hit the cold, hard ground. She quickly wrapped an arm around her waist, steadying her as she moved her lifeless body to sit on the bed.

A bed she would most likely never leave again.

As Arizona looked up at Miranda, her eyes tainted with sadness and loss, the doctor felt the last of her restraint slip away as a lone tear slid down her cheek. She couldn't help it. This was the single hardest thing she had ever had to do since becoming a doctor. Never had she ever cursed her choice of career.

Until now.

"I. . .I don't get it. I-I thought. . I never even entertained the idea that the transplant wouldn't work. It was my last chance, Bailey," Arizona cried through misty eyes. "Oh, God! Callie! What am I going to tell, Callie?" she whimpered before collapsing into the embrace of her girlfriend's best friend.

The dam then broke, her breath hitching as the tears flowed free.

She had lost the fight.

It was over.

"I am so, _so_ sorry, Arizona," Miranda murmured as she held the now broken woman in her arms, tears soaking through her lab coat. Holding her tightly, she continued to murmur how sorry she was as if those words alone would change things.

As if that would give Arizona her life back.

As if her best friend hadn't just been robbed of a lifetime full of love and happiness.

As if she hadn't just handed Arizona a death sentence.

* * *

Callie quickly rushed through the automatic doors of Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, her raven hair flowing behind her, a large bouquet of pink and white peonies, a new set of keys to her apartment and her car, along with the precious Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy she had adopted twenty minutes ago as a welcome home surprise for Arizona, balanced precariously in her hands. Briskly making her way through closing elevator doors, she couldn't keep the cheesy grin she had been wearing all day off her face.

Today was the day.

The day she had been waiting forever for.

The day she got to start her new life with Arizona - the most amazing woman she had ever met.

A woman who had stolen her heart with one look.

A woman who had turned her world upside down and made her believe in happily ever after.

Resituating the items cradled in her arms, Callie happily stepped out of the elevator, a bounce in her step as she made her way to the closed door of room 1614. Scrunching her face and biting her bottom lip as she barely managed to open the door without dropping the offerings she held in her arms, she entered the room, bending over to set the puppy on the tiled floor. With his lease held firmly in her hand, she glanced up with a megawatt smile to take in the sight of the woman she loved.

The first thing she noticed was the silence that assaulted her senses.

Then, the presence of her best friend sitting in a chair next to her girlfriend's bed.

Then Arizona, sitting cross-legged in the center of her bed, her head down, her posture sagging.

Immediately, she just _knew _something wasn't right, her face taking a gradual detour from completely happy to confused and uncertain.

Why did they seem so upset? Why weren't they bouncing around the room preparing Arizona for discharge? Arizona was going home with her today. She was. . .

At that moment in time, everything else in the room faded to black, Callie's vision tunneling until she saw nothing but the slight movement of Arizona raising her head, the expressive blue eyes of the woman she loved locking with her own.

Arizona's usual ivory face had paled, streaks of tears leaving damp pathways down her flushed cheeks. So many emotions flashed through those usually bright, but now sullen cerulean eyes.

Fear.

Hurt.

Anxiety.

Devastation.

"Callie. . ."

Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears that she couldn't decipher who had just called her name.

One word.

Was all it took to snatch away the happiness she had been waiting her entire life to find.

One word.

To shatter the dreams she had allowed herself to believe in.

Callie shook her head, her mouth agape as she tried desperately to make words. It felt like the wind had just been knocked from her lungs, that at that very moment, the ground had opened up beneath her. With that, her arms went limp with the sheer devastation and helplessness she felt, a set of keys and a lovely bouquet of her girlfriend's favorite flowers falling to the floor.

* * *

_I wasn't looking for love, but love found me. It consumed my heart and filled me with joy and happiness, but now I stand here completely shattered and filled with nothing but emptiness and the prospect of saying goodbye to the other half of myself - the person who makes me whole. _

_Heartbeat. A single pulsation of the heart; an instant._

_How is it that I can still feel my heart beating when it feels as though it was just ripped from my chest? Why is it not registering the pain pulsating through me? Doesn't it know that my world has just fallen apart? Doesn't it know that I don't want to carry on? That living is the last thing I want to do?_

_How is it possible that in one day I have gone from deliriously happy to completely devastated? _

_Because life can change in an instant, turn on a dime. _

_One minute I was on top of the world and the next everything was taken from me. My happiness was ripped from my grasp._

_One word was all it took. _

_One look into the eyes of the person I thought I would spend the rest of my life with, and now, I have to face the possibility of living my remaining years alone. _

_How do I do that?_

_How am I supposed to carry on if I have to do so without her?_

_Agony. Intense physical or mental distress; a sudden or intense emotion; the struggle that precedes death. _

_How am I still living when she is slowly dying?_

_Heartbreak. A very strong feeling of sadness; anguish or distress; crushing grief._

* * *

**AN: **Thank you so much for continuing to read and review/comment on this story. We realize that the subject matter is a difficult one, and the fact that so many of you are willing to continue along with us is incredible. We hope you are all ready for the rollercoaster ride we have planned for you in the chapters ahead, and we look forward to reading each and every one of your reviews/comments. Thanks again!


	8. Interlude

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **The response to the previous chapter was absolutely overwhelming. A huge thank you to everyone for sticking around and continuing to read and review! Your continued support means so much.

**AN2: **This addition is a little different from the rest of the chapters in this story, so we have decided to call it an _interlude._ Just as a side note, flashbacks appear in italics. But, without further ado. . .please enjoy!

* * *

_**Interlude**_

* * *

_**(Arizona's POV)**_

There's a fear that goes through you when you are told you have cancer. It's so hard in the beginning to think about anything but your diagnosis. It's the first thing you think about every morning and the last thing you think about before you lay your head down at night. There's nothing fair about cancer and no one deserves to have it.

When I was first diagnosed, I was scared, I was uncertain, and I was angry about the unwanted changes cancer was going to bring to my life. For a while I felt numb and confused. I had trouble listening to, understanding, and remembering what people were telling me.

This time, however, with the diagnosis Dr. Miranda Bailey handed me just one week ago, I'm not scared or even uncertain. Well, maybe I'm a little bit scared, but really, this time I'm only angry. In fact, I'm downright pissed off.

My life has been stripped from me. My happiness is gone. There is nothing left for me to smile about, because this latest diagnosis is robbing me of more than my life. It is also depriving me of my one true love.

For that, I am in shock. I am in disbelief. The thought of losing her causes me nothing but fear, anxiety, guilt, sadness, grief, depression, anger, and so much more.

I was planning my future. I was happy and in love and looking forward to finally living my life. But then - then everything fell apart.

It happened in an instant.

One Word. One look. That's all it took.

The leukemia won, and I lost.

I never thought I'd be back in this place. In the same chair, by the same window, surrounded by the same people - the same place I sat for weeks receiving treatment for a disease I was determined to beat. A disease I was so sure that I had overcome - that I had won the fight against.

But, I was wrong.

It's been a week since I was handed a death sentence, and for me, in this moment as I sit in the damn chemotherapy infusion center of the hospital - alone - the last thing I'm thinking about is the cancer. Because, all I can think about - the only thing I can focus on - is Callie.

It feels as though as I sit here, fighting to stay alive, she is slowly slipping away from me, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. One moment we were getting ready to leave this place, and the next, I was booking my room for a permanent stay.

The look on Callie's face when she found out - I can't even describe it. It has haunted me ever since she fled my room. I've barely had time to process my own feelings because she is all I can think about. The devastation, the shock and fear, and the overwhelming heartbreak on her beautiful face has stuck with me for the past seven days. I want to hold her - I need to comfort her - I desperately need to tell her everything is going to be alright, but I can't.

I can't promise her everything is going to be alright, because the cold hard truth is that I am most likely going to die. I can't hold her, and I can't comfort her because, well. . .I haven't seen her. She hasn't been to visit me at all. Sure, I've seen her as she's snuck past my room or as she's hidden out in the corridor when she thinks I'm asleep, but I haven't actually _seen_ her. I haven't kissed her. I haven't held her. I haven't touched her or told her just how much I love her.

I'm positive I will die of a broken heart if the leukemia doesn't kill me first.

I don't know what to do anymore. We promised each other forever, yet forever has just become less than a year - less than six months. I know she's hurting. I know she's terrified, but damn it, I need her. I need her here with me because I'm terrified, too. I can't do this without her, but unfortunately, it seems as though I might have to. For this reason, I am determined to fight this.

Again.

Even if it means sitting in this infusion chair every day for the next several months. Even if I have to do it alone. Even if it's me against the entire freakin' world. I'm going to fight against this terrible disease, and I'm going to fight for us. . .because in the end, nothing else matters but my future with Calliope. I may not be able to give her forever, but I can give her as long as I can and that has to count for something.

I'm not giving up.

Not on life and not on Callie.

A flash of dark hair catches my eyes and brings me out of my thoughts. Whipping my head around hoping to see Callie, my face falls when it is Miranda Bailey instead. Disappointed, I wave half-heartedly in her direction, trying to muster a smile as she waves back.

Miranda has been a Godsend since that horrible day when she broke the news to me. She has barely left my side, she's been here for me night and day - day and night. I had hoped she would be able to somehow reach Callie for me, but all that hope was dashed last week immediately following the devastating revelation that has now changed my life forever.

* * *

"_Callie. . ." _

_As brown eyes stared back at Arizona, it felt as if the knife that had already pierced her heart was slicing through her chest even further. The look in her eyes completely robbed Arizona of all speech as she sat begging Callie with her eyes – pleading with her to say something, begging her to move, but nothing. The Latina was not capable of anything other than the blank stare that was now invading Arizona's soul. _

"_Callie. . .I'm so sorry. Please, please. . .come here," Arizona pled, finding her voice as she held out a shaking hand._

"_I uh. . .I have to go," Callie said, taking a tentative step backward._

_Arizona could see Callie's walls going up. She could see her closing off from her, causing the news of the recurrence of the leukemia to be immediately forced to the back of Arizona's mind. _

_The only thing she could think of was how to stop the love of her life from leaving the room because she was terrified that if Callie left, she would never come back._

"_Callie. . .baby. . .no, please. Stay here with me," Arizona shakily insisted._

_Callie could do nothing more than shake her head. "I have to go. . .take the puppy home," she replied, her voice distant and short as she took another step, then another until she was standing outside the door._

"_Callie!" Arizona called once more, but it was useless. Callie had completely disappeared from her sight._

_Glancing at Miranda who was staring back at her in shock, her eyes wide and her mouth agape, Arizona opened her mouth to speak, but nothing but silence came out. _

_A bunch of flowers now lay in a heap on the floor, the silence in the room deafening._ _Arizona's heart was pounding uncontrollably, her every thought consumed by how she could possibly get to Callie. Something inside the dejected patient's head was sure that if she could get her back, then everything would somehow be alright._

"_Please. . . go after her, Bailey. I-I. . .I c-can't go right now, but p-please go after her. Make sure she's alright. Please. . .tell her I'm so s-sorry," Arizona finally managed to choke out._

"_Arizona. . .I. . ." Miranda began, not wanting to leave the blonde, especially not after delivering such devastating news. _

_With one look into those wide teary blue eyes, however, Miranda nodded her head. "I'll be back as soon as possible." _

* * *

That was a week ago.

Miranda came back only a few minutes after leaving, but without Callie, and that's how it had been ever since.

"Hey, Arizona. How are you feeling today?"

Not even bothering to hide her tears, Arizona sniffled a few times before shrugging her sagging shoulders. A few moments of silence passed as Miranda quietly sat beside her patient like she has done all week. "Have you called your parents, yet? Or Alex?" Miranda softly asked. "I'm sure they'd want to be here."

It was a question she'd asked every day for the past week, but Arizona's answer had been the same every single day. "No. I don't want them here. I just want Callie," she replied, large droplets of tears now streaking down her cheeks.

Sighing aloud, Miranda fidgeted in her seat, wringing her hands together. "Arizona. . .I really think you should call someone. You can't do this on your own. You shouldn't have to."

Uncomfortable silence passed between them, Arizona losing herself in her own thoughts of the gorgeous woman she so desperately missed. "She's not coming is she? She's not coming back to me?" she finally asked into the chasm of silence, her voice barely more than a whisper, her eyes pleading for the impossible.

Shaking her head, her own tears so close to the surface like they had been for the past week, Miranda closed her eyes. "I really don't know Arizona, and I'm so, so sorry," she honestly admitted.

As a mammoth lump closed off her throat, Arizona quickly turned away. "It's fine. I'm fine," she insisted, waving off her doctor. "I. . .uh. . .I'd really like to be alone now, please," she replied, her voice barely recognizable.

Knowing that she wasn't going to get anything more from Arizona, Miranda nodded her head before standing up. With her hand hovering over a shaking shoulder, she gently squeezed it, hesitating a moment before dropping it lifelessly to her side. Shaking her head once more, she then walked away, her heart heavy with the knowledge that her patient was nowhere near _fine. _Nothing about this situation was _fine,_ and for once in her life, Miranda Bailey was at a complete loss.

Once her doctor's footsteps faded into silence, Arizona let out the breath she'd been holding. She didn't want to lose it again, not in front of Miranda. The doctor had seen enough of her tears this past week and breaking down again was the very last thing she wanted to do.

Clearing her throat, Arizona straightened up in her infusion chair. She was a fighter. She needed to be strong for herself. . .and for Callie.

Closing her eyes, she whispered the same mantra she had been quoting daily in the hope that her prayers would be answered. "Please come back to me, Callie. I miss you so much."

Sitting silently, Arizona once again glanced around the room, her heart suddenly beginning to race with the thought that her prayers had indeed been heard because as she glanced to the entrance of the infusion center, her eyes caught sight of the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

Standing there, only feet away, behind a large glass window, was Callie.

Tentatively smiling at her love, Arizona waved once, hoping Callie had found the strength to face her. For one heart stopping moment she thought Callie was going to come to her. For one moment, it felt like any other day as Callie looked in on her, but her short lived illusion was quickly shattered when the Latina only sadly returned her smile before hanging her head and walking away.

Letting out a moan of despair, Arizona folded in on herself, unwanted tears once again trickling down her face. She had never seen Callie look like that before. She had seen her sad and fearful, but never had she seen her look so. . ._defeated_. Not when they first met and not even that day, a week ago, when they both received the fateful news.

In Arizona's mind, that look - the failure and defeat evident in her soulful chocolate eyes could only mean one thing.

Callie was finished. She wasn't strong enough for this.

Everything was. . .over.

* * *

When those sullen blue eyes met her own, staring at her through the small window of the closed infusion room door, Callie could only hold her gaze briefly before the shame, fear, and uncertainty she had been feeling for the past week forced her to look away. Hesitantly turning around, she took a couple shaky steps forward before quickly moving down the hall. Turning in the direction of the elevator, she blindly bumped into someone else in her haste to escape the sad eyes of the woman she loved.

"Would you watch it!" the stern voice of her best friend scolded. Finally realizing who she had just collided with, Miranda glared at Callie, the disappointment she felt in her friend more than evident. "You decided to grace us with your presence today, huh?" she angrily spat.

Callie only shook her head, turning to quickly walk away from her friend.

"I don't think so, Torres," Miranda chastised, reaching out to brusquely grasp the Latina's forearm. Jerking her back in her direction, she poked a pointed finger into the taller woman's shoulder. "What the Hell, Callie? You promised to be here for Arizona, but now, you're bailing. You've been missing all week. You aren't talking to her. . .or _me_. You've been avoiding both of us for the past seven days. You said you. . ."

"I know what I said, Bailey!" Callie contended with a roll of her eyes. "But, I've been. . ._busy. . ._with some things. I've had some _stuff_ to take care of."

Miranda's dark brown eyes mirrored the eye roll of her best friend. "What kind of _stuff_ is more important than your girlfriend's life? What the Hell could be more important than being here for the woman you claim is your soul mate? She's already devastated, Callie. . .and you're just going to abandon her? That isn't you, Torres. You're turning out to be no better than her last girlfriend."

Callie's eyes went wide as those last words sank in. Incredulously staring at the shorter surgeon, she willed herself to find the words necessary to rationally explain what the Hell she was doing. Opening her mouth to speak, however, she paused, shaking her head.

She had no words. No excuses. There was nothing she could say. Nothing that made much sense, anyway. Allowing anger to mask her true feelings of heartbreak and desperation, she glared at her friend. "I am _nothing_ like Carlie, Dr. Bailey!" she adamantly insisted, her voice rising in volume, though it shook as the sting of tears burned her eyes. "_You_ have NO idea what I've been doing, and it's none of your damn business, anyway!" she spat before turning on her heel and quickly stepping away.

Miranda disbelievingly stared at the back of her best friend's retreating form. Needing to have the last word, she shouted down the hallway. "You do this, Callie. . .you walk away. . .and you're going to regret it for the rest of your life!"

* * *

_**(Callie's POV)**_

I can't even believe this is happening. To me. To Arizona. How could something so perfect as what we share be so maliciously torn apart?

How is that fair?

In meeting Arizona Robbins, I have learned two things. Because of her, I have learned to love, but I have also learned that sometimes love just isn't enough and that it certainly isn't fair. Just when things were perfect - when things were going so well - everything was taken from us.

I thought that loving her would be enough -that our love could conquer all - but, I was wrong. How could I have been so naive to think that by simply loving her, I could help cure a life-threatening disease. I'm a doctor for God's sake. How could I have been so irresponsible with her feelings and with mine?

Right now, I don't know anything. My only reality is work, the puppy I adopted as a surprise for Arizona, and the fact that my heart literally aches.

I can't sleep. I can't eat. I'm pretty sure I am actually going to die of a broken heart. There's no way I can survive without her, and to be honest, I don't even want to try.

I want to go to her. I want to be with her. I know I am a terrible person for abandoning her when I promised her forever, but right now, I can barely process breathing, let alone being what she needs me to be.

* * *

Aimlessly wandering the halls of the hospital, Callie first ended up in Arizona's room - a place that had been a source of such joy and happiness for her over the past three months - but now a place she hadn't visited in almost a week. Sure, she'd stood outside the door several times over the past few days wanting desperately to enter, but she hadn't actually been able to work up the nerve to do so.

She just couldn't.

Her heart hurt too much.

Moving around the room, she first straightened up the bed and bedside table before removing the bouquet of now dying flowers she had dropped to the floor on that fateful day just seven days prior when her entire world had fallen apart. Discarding the now wilting flowers into the trash can, she replaced them with a new bouquet of perfect white and dark pink peonies. Aimlessly fiddling with a green stem, she dejectedly sighed before turning and exiting the room.

Making her way to the residents' locker room, she quickly changed from her scrubs to her street clothes. Grabbing her bag, she threw it over her shoulder before moving toward the exit of the hospital. As the automatic doors opened, allowing her to exit this place that had become a source of nothing but despair, Callie thought back to a similar day just one week ago.

_Racing toward the exit, propelled by a force she didn't know she possessed, Callie rushed out the automatic doors, looking up to the sky as she gasped for the cool morning air._

_She couldn't breathe. Her chest being crushed by the weight of uncompromising heartache._

_She couldn't think. Her mind a muddled mess of unparalleled fear and all-consuming sadness._

_The earth had literally just opened up, threatening to swallow her whole. Threatening to take away every single ounce of happiness and love she had ever dreamed of. Threatening to take away the love of her life. _

_Shaking her head, she looked down at the puppy she didn't realize she still held on its leash. Picking up the little fur ball, she gently rubbed his head before making her way toward the hospital parking lot._

_"Torres! Wait!"_

_Callie quickly spun around to see her best friend chasing her through the parking lot. "Go back inside, Bailey," she insisted, her time pleading. "Please, she. . .A-Arizona needs you. . .right now."_

_Miranda skeptically regarded her friend, her heart breaking at the sight of the unshed tears that were welling in Callie's melancholy eyes. Glancing down at the puppy she held in her arms, the smaller doctor noted the unrelenting grasp she had on him, her hand never stopping it's soothing motion over his head. Reaching out to gently place her hand against the taller woman's arm, Miranda reassuringly squeezed it as she spoke. "I know this is a shock, Callie. . .and I can't even begin to tell you how very sorry I am, but I really think you should come back inside with me. Arizona wants you. . .not me. She's going to need you now more than ever."_

_A lone tear slid down Callie's cheek as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. Glancing to the side, unable to hold her best friend's gaze, her eyes danced around before dropping to the fuzzy head of the puppy cradled lovingly in her arms. "I know. . ." she softly began. "And. . .I will be here for her. I promise. But, I just. . ." Clearing her throat in an attempt to rid herself of the lump of emotions that had gathered there, the Latina finally looked back at her friend. "I. . .uh. . .I. . .tell Arizona I love her, okay?" she requested as she began to slowly back away from her best friend. "I need to take this little guy home. . .umm. . .I-I shouldn't have brought him to the hospital in the first place. . .but I. . .uh. . .I'll be back. Just. . .please, Bailey. Tell her I'll be back."_

Entering her apartment, Callie walked over to the small crate holding the puppy she had adopted as a surprise for Arizona. Letting him out into the living room, she hooked his leash to his collar in order to lead him outside. Gathering a few things into a backpack, she then exited her home to walk the short distance to the park where she had taken Arizona on their first _kind of _date. Settling onto their bench, she hooked the puppy's leash to one of the bench's slats to keep him safe before leaning down to tousle his curly ears. "You still need a name," Callie softly spoke as brown puppy dog eyes stared back at her. "I can't keep calling you, little guy."

When the dog's attention became focused on some birds that were just out of his reach, Callie sat back against the bench as she reached into her bag to pull out her iPad. Checking her email, her eyes lit up at the presence of one particular message in her inbox.

* * *

_**(Miranda's POV)**_

Love. Strong affection for another; tenderness felt by lovers; desire of the soul.

Love is an incredibly powerful word. I've seen it several times in my life - as a doctor, as a friend, as a woman, and as a lover myself.

Love is intense.

Love is passionate.

Love can make you do anything, even admittedly stupid things. It can make you sacrifice for what will be better in the end.

Love is miraculous.

Everything seems brighter, happier and more wonderful when you're in love, and in my thirty-one years on this earth, I have only witnessed that kind of love one time. In my life, I've never seen a love so pure - a love so true - a love as real as the love shared between my best friend, Callie Torres and her girlfriend, Arizona Robbins.

That is until last week when I delivered the fateful news that sent their love into a tailspin. I know it isn't my fault, but I can't help but feel the weight of guilt at being the person who popped the pretty pink bubble they had been blissfully existing in for the past three months.

As I sit here watching the heartache etched across Arizona's face, I can't help but want to scream at my best friend. I want to hit her. I want to tell her just how wrong - just how dumb - she is for bailing. I want to scream at her. I want to demand she tell me why she is doing this to the person she claims to love more than life itself.

But, I can't.

I can't do any of those things because even though she has been non-existent for the past week, I can still see the pain written in every single one of Callie's features. She is broken. She is terrified. She is defeated. I've known her a long time, but I have never once seen her in such despair.

All in the name of love.

I think the Bible says something about love being patient and love being kind, but I disagree. Nothing about this love is patient _or_ kind. There is no time for their love to be patient, and if love were so kind, why would it allow my best friend to fall head over heels in love with her perfect someone, only to have her find out that this perfect someone is. . .dying. If love were so kind, why would it allow Arizona to think that she had been healed, only to rip that from her grasp.

I just can't wrap my head around any of this. If love were so kind, then why are these two hurting so much.

Why is their love slowly tearing them apart?

I am a very analytical person, and I want answers, and I want them now, yet there are none.

I may not know why this is happening, but I do know that love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails, and I'm hoping that the love shared by Callie and Arizona is no different. Their love simply cannot fail. I won't let it. I won't let my best friend feel the pain of such debilitating heartache. I won't let my patient and new friend lose her fight because her heart is too broken to carry on.

I won't let that that happen.

I can't.

Glancing up from the chart I am writing in, I watch as Arizona dials a number on her telephone. I try not to eavesdrop, but when I see tears once again begin to flow down her face, I can't stop myself. Shutting out all other noise in the room, my mouth falls agape when I hear her words.

"A-Alex. . .I need you. Please. . .I. . .it's over. Everything is over."

Shocked by the outcry of this usually stoic woman, I force myself to look away.

Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

If you find it, never let it go.

* * *

**AN: **We know this addition ran a little short, but we promise that the next chapter will be way longer than this. We are currently hashing it out right now. We definitely look forward to reading each and every one of your reviews and comments. Thanks again!


	9. Chapter 7

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

* * *

_**Chapter Seven**_

* * *

Silence permeated the small hospital room as it had done for the past several hours. Alex kept surreptitiously glancing at Arizona every other second as if she might shatter right before his eyes. After receiving Arizona's hysterical phone call the day prior - after listening to her beg him to come to Seattle to pick her up - he took the red eye flight out of BWI, arriving only a few short hours ago. He hadn't yet been able to get her to confess the entire story, but what she had managed to tell him through sullen, glassy eyes was that the bone marrow transplant had failed. More disheartening than that came when his best friend inconsolably began to cry as she managed to sob the words that she and Callie were over.

Shock didn't even come close to what Alex was now feeling. He hadn't even had time to wrap his head around the fact that his best friend was most likely going to die before she was pleading with him to take her home. He'd tried to make conversation with her, to find out what had transpired between his best friend and her girlfriend, but Arizona had adamantly refused to say anything more. All he knew right now was that the Latina hadn't been to see his friend for an entire week, and because of that, she was completely shattered to pieces.

Consequently and rightly so, Alex was pissed. More than pissed. He felt like hitting a person. . .or a wall. No - definitely a person, and it was taking all the restraint he held within himself not to track down Callie and lay into her.

Sighing aloud, he turned to his friend who had been, for the past several minutes, aimlessly walking around the small room looking like she was a million miles away. Reaching out to take her hand into his, he dragged her down to sit next to him on her bed. "Are you sure you want to do this, Arizona?" he quietly asked. While he was certainly not at all a fan of Callie Torres at the moment, nor was he opposed to taking Arizona back to Baltimore with him, there was something in the back of his mind that kept warning him that this might potentially be a decision she would regret. What Callie had done was despicable, but he was also having a hard time believing the woman, who only a few short weeks ago was declaring her love for Arizona, had simply abandoned her in her time of need.

"Yes."

One word. That was all he could add to his count of about a total of ten words that Arizona had uttered to him since his arrival.

Shaking his head, Alex then silently nodded before zipping up Arizona's duffel bag and pulling out his phone to check for the earliest flights out of Seattle. Browsing through _Expedia _and _Travelocity_, he looked up from the device when he saw a flash of dark hair appear outside the room. Quickly turning to his friend, he wasn't surprised to find her still staring off into space. Shoving his phone into the pocket of his zip-up hoodie, he stepped out of the room, coming face to face with Callie.

Standing tall and blocking the path into Arizona's room, Alex put his hands on his hips. "What the Hell are you doing here?" he scowled, trying mightily to keep his voice low.

Mirroring his stance, Callie firmly spoke. "What do you _think_ I'm doing? I'm here to see my girlfriend."

Regarding Callie as if she had completely lost her mind, Alex took a step closer to her. "I don't think so, Torres! Who the Hell do you think you are, anyway? You really think you can still call Arizona your girlfriend when you totally bailed on her this past week?"

Callie incredulously stared at a furious Alex Karev. "I seriously don't have time for your shit today, Alex. So, move the Hell out of my way," she demanded, attempting to push her way past him.

"Seriously, Torres! You're really testing my patience right now. I have no idea what the Hell has gone down over the past few days, but what I _do_ know is that you've broken my best friend's heart."

Momentarily softening at the mention of a broken hearted Arizona, Callie stopped trying to push her way through him. "Listen, Alex. You don't understand. Okay? I just need to see her. Just for a moment. Please," she begged.

Shaking his head, Alex wondered what the Hell was wrong with her. "Are you really this stupid? Can you seriously not see the pain you've caused her? Do you really think you can just traipse in and out of Arizona's life whenever it suits you?" he angrily asked. "I trusted you, Torres. You said you loved her. You told me you had her back - that you would catch her when I couldn't. But, you lied. You left her. You broke her, and as far as I'm concerned, you're no better than Carlie. So now, I'm going to do everything in my power to protect Arizona, and if that includes protecting her from you, then that's exactly what I am going to do!" Alex adamantly insisted, his anger and protectiveness coming off him in waves.

Frustration mounting, Callie desperately moved forward, forcibly trying to push Alex out of her way. "Move, Alex!" she insisted, her voice escalating in pitch and volume. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

Alex had never hit a woman before, and he didn't plan on starting now, so instead he physically body blocked Callie from entering the room. He was determined to not allow this woman to hurt Arizona ever again. "The Hell I don't, Torres! And it doesn't matter what you have to say, anyway. All I know is that you hurt Arizona and that she's going back to Baltimore with me. Today!" he argued.

Callie immediately froze. "What?"

"You heard me, Torres. I'm here to take Arizona home. Where she belongs."

Callie adamantly shook her head. "_This_ is Arizona's home. _This_ is where she belongs. Here in Seattle. With me. So, move the Hell out of my way, Alex! Now!" she screamed, losing the last bit of her self-control.

Completely ignoring the now yelling Latina, Alex began to shout over top of her, both in each other's faces arguing over what they thought was best for Arizona. Lost in the storm of their own altercation, neither noticed a wild looking Dr. Miranda Bailey quickly approach them from around the corridor.

"What the Hell is going on out here?" she whisper yelled, her voice cutting through the argument of an angry Latina and a pissed off best friend. "This is a hospital, not a damn playground," she added, coming to a stop outside Arizona's room. Turning toward the short statured doctor who was wearing her best piercing glare, both immediately opened their mouths to defend themselves, but she was quick to stop them in their tracks. "I don't want to hear a word out of either of you! Neither of you have an ounce common sense. What the Hell do you think you're doing? Arguing like a couple of spoiled teenagers?"

Callie immediately opened her mouth, intent on telling Miranda to mind her own business like she had been doing for the past week, but before she could do so, the sweetest of voices floated through the air, causing the Latina's heart to skip a beat when it reached her ears.

"What are you doing here, Callie?"

Callie, Miranda, and Alex all froze, slowing turning toward Arizona's room to find the owner of that voice shakily standing in the doorway.

Staring at Callie, Arizona's heart pounded a mile a minute as she took in the sight of her, until now, absent partner. She wanted to run the few steps separating them to take Callie into her arms and never let go, but she couldn't. She wanted to tell her how much she loved her and feel her full lips on her own, but she also wanted to turn away, telling Callie to leave. She had waited all week for this moment, but now. . .she just wasn't sure.

Arizona wanted to tell Callie that if she wanted to be with her, she couldn't just be half in. She wanted to tell her that she needed her every day, not just when it was convenient for her. She wanted to tell Callie just how much she had been hurting all week because of her, but standing motionless staring into the Latina's beautiful chocolate eyes, she had no words.

Quickly moving, Alex immediately took a protective stance in from of Arizona as Miranda quietly stepped out of the way, refusing to place herself in the middle of whatever was about to happen. Callie may have been her best friend, but she definitely had some explaining to do. Interest piqued at what Callie might say, Miranda's eyes flicked between her best friend and the pair from Baltimore.

As Alex's position completely blocked her view of the cardio surgeon, Arizona stepped up behind his tense and rigid form, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Alex," she quietly insisted, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "I've got this."

Hesitantly turning around, Alex searched his best friend's face before reluctantly stepping aside. Pinning the Latina with an assassin's glare, he stood poised ready to jump in at any second if she so much as looked like she was going to cause Arizona any further grief.

"Callie. . .what. . .what are you doing here?" Arizona repeated, her voice steadier and stronger than before.

With that the gates opened as Callie burst into speech. "I know you're angry, but that's okay. Because, I think everything's going to be fine," she stated, barely acknowledging Arizona's question. Pulling out a thick stack of folded papers from the front pocket of her lab coat, she began waving them around. "I know Bailey said the transplant didn't work, but I think it's a mistake. She did a CBC and peripheral blood smear, but I think maybe we should consider a cytogenetic analysis to check for changes in the chromosomes of the lymphocytes. I think we definitely need an MRI, another biopsy, and a follow-up lumbar puncture. . ." Callie rambled as though her absence for the past week wasn't even worth mentioning.

Regarding Callie with wide eyes, Arizona couldn't help but wonder what the Hell was going on. The Latina hadn't even acknowledged the fact that she had literally fallen off the face of the earth for the past week, nor had she explained the reason for that absence. Turning from Callie, Arizona glanced between her doctor and best friend, noting that they appeared just as baffled and confused as she was.

"Callie. . ."

"No! It's true. The research shows th-that. . .well, it doesn't really matter. This could all very easily be a mistake. Think about it, Arizona. You've been fine. You haven't been sick. You haven't had any of the symptoms that would lead one to believe the leukemia had recurred. Mistakes happen all the time. You're a doctor. You know that. This could all just be one big mix up, and-and-and if it isn't a mix up. . .well, I've been doing some research. I found five separate cases where people have had acute lymphoblastic leukemia and been through a similar course of treatment as you, and survived," Callie continued, stepping forward to show Arizona the research she had compiled. As some of the papers she shakily held in her hand floated to the ground, she rushed to pick them up while Arizona, Miranda, and Alex all looked on.

Deciding that this might be the time to chime in, Miranda stepped forward, hoping to inject some levity into the situation. She'd known Callie longer than anyone else and from the moment her best friend started speaking, she could tell that the Latina was in complete and utter denial. "Callie, come on now," she gently began. "You know there wasn't a mix up. There wasn't a mistake in the results, and you're going to have to accept that. . ."

"Stop right there, Bailey! I don't have to accept anything, because none of it's true," she immediately interrupted before completely ignoring her best friend and making her way to stand directly in front of Arizona. "Listen to me, baby. I-I know you're scared, but it's going to be okay. I really believe that this is just one big mistake," she contended, her eyes locking with Arizona's, her tone pleading with her girlfriend to agree.

Looking directly into big beautiful brown eyes, Arizona felt tears well in her own, the desperate sight of her girlfriend tearing her already fragile heart in two. She opened her mouth and closed it several times, though nothing came out. She was completely at a loss for words.

Then it all became clear - the pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place. As she continued to search Callie's face that held so much hope and devotion, she, for the first time, became conscious of the fact that this woman - this brilliant, Ivy League educated doctor - was in absolute denial of the situation she had been presented with. She was refusing to accept the truth. She hadn't been absent because she didn't love her, but because she was off trying to find a cure - to prove this diagnosis wrong. She had been off seeking a resolution that most likely wasn't there.

Reaching out to take the paperwork from Callie's trembling hand, Arizona wiped a stray tear from her own cheek with the tips of her fingers. "Callie. . .Calliope. . .please. Please, stop," she begged.

"Stop what?" Callie asked in disbelief. With an outstretched hand, she ran her thumb over Arizona's moist cheek. "No more tears, sweetie. There's no need to be upset. We're going to get a second opinion, and everything is going to be alright."

Hearing Callie's plea, Arizona couldn't help the torrent of tears that began to fall from her blue eyes. Listening Callie ramble on about miracle cases, wrong results, and second opinions was all too much. This was absolutely killing her. How could this usually composed woman be in such denial? How could she not see the truth?

Exchanging a concerned look, Miranda's eyes met Alex's, silently pleading with him to say something. She usually had an answer for everything, but as tears brimmed in her own eyes at the sight of her best friend looking so hopeful and sounding so optimistic, she just couldn't bring herself to be the one to knock the reality into her. Moving to stand next to Arizona, she put her arm around her shoulder to comfort her crying patient as she nodded her head, urging Alex on.

Realizing he needed to put a stop to this in order to spare Arizona any further heartache, he stepped forward, placing his larger hands on Callie's shoulders. He'd been through all of this before. He knew what it was like to go through the stages of grief, and even though he was still pissed at Callie for inadvertently hurting his best friend, he also understood. Callie's hadn't abandoned her like he originally thought, but instead, it was the opposite. Callie loved Arizona so much that accepting the hand they had been dealt was just too much for her to bear. There was no denying how excruciatingly hard it was to watch the person she loved most in the world slowly fade away, knowing there was nothing she could do. The truth was, though, Arizona needed someone to be strong for her. She needed him, but she also needed Callie. "Torres, that's enough. This isn't a mistake, and we're not getting a second opinion," he firmly stated, catching her attention before she could start another spiel about some impossible miracle cure.

Callie shook her head. "I'm telling you, Alex. I really think they got it wrong," she insisted, the fear she was feeling, staring Alex directing in the eyes. She was fighting with herself - fighting to let herself believe all of this was true.

"That's enough! They haven't gotten it wrong. She's sick, Torres!" he contended, hoping some tough love and complete honesty would get through to her. "And. . .and. . .chances are, she isn't going to get better. There wasn't a mix up. There are no wrong results. She-she's going to die, and you have to accept it!" he finished, barely managing to hold back his own emotions at the thought of losing his best friend.

Callie stared back at Alex, her eyes shimmering with rage and before he could react, the palm of her hand slapped him harshly across the face.

"Callie!" Arizona gasped in horror, though her shocked plea fell on deaf ears as Callie tumbled into another raging speech.

"No! Don't you dare say that you me! She isn't going to die. She's fine. She-she's going to live. We're going to be happy. . .we're going to g-go skydiving and-and-and go to Paris and have dinner under the stars. We're going to buy a house so that we can plant a vegetable garden and-and-and flowers - _peonies_. Numbers three, four, eight, and fifteen on her list. She's not dying. She-she can't. I. . .no. . .just. . .I. . .it's. . .I-I can't. . ." she cried, her eyes shining with the moisture of tears as the reality of the past week finally began to catch up with her.

Arizona moved forward as quickly as her unsteady legs would carry her, catching Callie as she crumbled into her embrace. "Oh, baby. . ." she tried to soothe as her girlfriend fell into her arms.

Despite her shattered heart, the moment she felt Arizona's arms around her, anchoring her to the earth as she whispered words of love and comfort, Callie felt safe for the first time in a week. The force of Arizona's hold on her - the strength that she could feel shining through - giving her hope.

Arizona held her lost lover, her grip tight, refusing to let go. She had come so close to giving up on this, but now, with Callie in her embrace, she felt whole again. She felt her strength returning. She felt ready to fight another round.

With the help of Alex and Miranda, they managed to get Callie's dejected form into Arizona's small hospital bed before she climbed in behind the Latina, gathering her close to her body. As Alex and Miranda quietly excused themselves from the room, Arizona pulled raven hair away from the Latina's face, laying a gentle kiss on her cheek and then the back of her lab coat clad shoulder.

Feeling the warmth of Callie's body against her front, Arizona sighed. She'd been so sure that Callie couldn't handle this, but after hearing her desperate words of denial, with the pain and hurt she could feel radiating from the very depths of her soul, everything started to make sense. Callie still loved her - she loved her so much that she was desperately trying to find a way for them to be together until the end of time. The knowledge that Callie hadn't given up on her, that she still loved her was like a beacon of light shining through the darkness.

And for that reason, Arizona once again had hope.

She had a reason to carry on.

She had a reason to live.

* * *

Pulling the door shut behind them, Miranda and Alex stepped from the confines of Arizona's hospital room. "You think she's going to be okay?" he asked, leaning his elbow against the nurses' station.

Miranda stepped up in front of him. "Which _she_?" she asked. "Callie. . .or Arizona?"

Alex sighed. Unfortunately, he already knew the likelihood of _his_ best friend being okay. "Torres," he gruffly answered. "No offense, Dr. Bailey, but you're best friend is bonkers."

Miranda's lips curled into a slight smile, despite herself. She was worried to death about her Callie's mental stability at this point in time, but Alex certainly had a strange way of injecting some humor into the situation. "She's definitely bonkers, that's for sure, but she has a good heart - the _biggest_ heart of anyone I've ever met."

Alex wasn't convinced. How could someone with such a big heart leave her girlfriend after finding out that her worst nightmare had recurred. "Yeah, well. . .I'm not so sure."

Miranda glared at the surly man in front of her. She knew her best friend had been in the wrong, but this man had no right to criticize her. This was a shock to Callie's heart and mind, and while her actions hadn't spoken of her love for Arizona, she knew that it was there. Callie loved Arizona more than anything else in the world, and though her decision to stay away was definitely ill-conceived and misguided, she understood. "Callie may have done wrong, but she's here now. She loves your friend, Alex, and she's not going anywhere."

Alex nodded his head, though he still questioned Callie's strength to be able to handle this horrific situation. "Well, I hope you're right, Dr. Bailey, but just in case, I'm going to be here, too. I started the process of transferring my residency here when I last visited, and I wasn't supposed to start until next month, but now. . .well. . .I'm going to demand an immediate transfer. I need to be here for Arizona."

Miranda smiled. She would do the same thing. "Do you have a place to stay?"

"I've looked at some ads for a few apartments, but haven't done more than that. You have any suggestions?"

Miranda bit her bottom lip, squinting her eyes as she pondered what she was about to offer. Deciding to bite the bullet, she sighed. "Well, I own a house. A huge house my mother left to me. It's four bedrooms and three baths. I'm the only one living there now, and I've been looking for a roommate. You plan on staying in Seattle for good?"

Alex considered his options, wondering what his life would be like sharing a house with this little bull-dog of a doctor. "That's the plan, Bailey. There's no way in Hell I'm leaving now."

* * *

"You're going to be alright, you know." Callie's voice penetrated the silence of the hospital room from where she still lay wrapped up in Arizona's strong, comforting embrace.

Arizona's gaze nervously flicked around the room. She wanted that statement to be true - desperately needed it to be - but, she knew the statistics. At this point, her chance of survival was probably less than ten percent, but there was just something about being with Callie that made her hopeful - made her believe otherwise. "I know," she softly agreed.

A few moments of complete silence passed between the two before Callie rolled over to face Arizona. Running her fingertips over an ivory cheek bone, across the tip of her nose and then down to circle pink lips, Callie couldn't help the lone tear that slid down her own face. "I love you so much, Arizona. And, I-I. . .I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you. I tried. . .I was trying to find some cure or-or just something to give us hope. I didn't want to come back to you until I found that something," she quietly whispered, her moist brown eyes locked on tired cerulean ones. "I'm going to research and research until I find a way for you to beat this."

Arizona stared at Callie, the sincerity in the Latina's words causing her heart to flutter. She forgave Callie for her absence, she really did, but that didn't mean that she wasn't still hurt. "I can't bear the thought of seeing you unhappy, Calliope, and I. . .I just thought you felt the same for me," she began, clearing her throat of the lump that was quickly gathering there. "I never thought you'd bring me such heartache. I thought you would always be here. You promised me you'd be here. How was it so easy for you to just walk away?"

Callie shifted her head on the pillow they shared as she placed a tentative hand against the slight curve of Arizona's slim hip. "I-I have no excuses, Arizona. No good ones at least, other than I've spent every waking moment emailing and calling other hospitals, researching and reading every single journal article I could find. . ." she trailed off, her reasoning sounding terribly flimsy to her own ears. "This is harder than I ever thought it would be, and I know what I did was wrong, and I'll never be able to forgive myself for missing out on this precious time with you, but I. . .I just didn't know what else to do. So, I did what I'd do for my own patients. . .I started researching."

"I'm not your patient, Callie. I'm your girlfriend," Arizona was quick to insist.

Callie felt a small weight lift from her shoulders at the sound of Arizona still calling her her girlfriend. "I was just trying to help, I. . ."

"You left me, Callie," Arizona interrupted, clearing her throat as she considered her next words. "I'm strong. I've been through this all before, but other than my parents and Alex, I've been alone. Without Alex, I wouldn't be here today, but something changed when I met you. You worked your way into my heart, and-and I need you, Callie. If I have any chance of surviving, I need you here with me. You can't just walk in and out of my life when things get too hard. I won't survive that. Not again."

Callie's heart broke at the fear she could hear in Arizona's otherwise steadfast voice. "Arizona, I am so deeply, deeply, deeply sorry for hurting you so much. I am so sorry because I am so in love with you, and I will spend the rest of my life telling you that. I'll apologize to you every day if that's what you need. Please, please believe me. Please don't give up. Not on me. . .and not on life. I love you, Arizona. Please."

Deep down Arizona knew that her chances of survival were slim to none, but the look in Callie's eyes - seeing the way she was processing the news - she didn't have it in her to argue. She didn't have it in her to hurt Callie any further. Stroking a caramel cheek with her hand, Arizona leaned forward, her lips gently caressing the Latina's for the first time in a week. The kiss wasn't insistent, but an exploration, initially soft and gentle, before Arizona lightly nibbled on a plump bottom lip, outlining it with her tongue. Pulling back, she sighed against Callie's mouth. "I'm not giving up," she simply stated as her eyes slowly opened.

Callie's eyes met the blue ones looking back at her. "You-you're not?" she questioned, slightly surprised by Arizona's response.

Arizona shook her head. "No. . .I'm not. I'm going to continue with the chemo. I have Bailey searching for anything that might help. I-I. . .I'm _hopeful_, Calliope. I'm determined to beat this. I'm determined to. . .be with you."

A relieved smile curled at Callie's lips, Arizona's words like music to her ears. Leaning forward, she gently kissed the tip of her nose before once again capturing her lips with her own. Their kiss was a reconnection - a force binding them together - and as it came to its gradual end, both women felt more grounded than they had in a week. "I love you, Arizona."

Arizona nuzzled Callie's cheek. "I love you, too, Callie. So, _so _much." Reaching out, she pulled Callie into a strong embrace, holding her tightly as she breathed in the intoxicating scent of the skin covering her girlfriend's neck. They held each other for what seemed like a lifetime, neither willing to break away.

"I'm never going to leave your side, Arizona. Not again. I promise. I'm here. . .and we're going to find a cure, and then we're going to see the Eiffel Tower and Mount Everest. We're going to live together, and you're going to finish your residency. You, me, and _little guy_ are going to be _so_ happy," Callie softly spoke into Arizona's ear as she melted into the comfortable cocoon of their embrace.

Pulling back, a confused look overtook Arizona's features. "_Little guy_? Who's _little guy_?" she asked, a slight smirk on her face.

"Our puppy," Callie nonchalantly informed.

A small chuckle fell from Arizona's mouth. "You kept him?"

"Of course I kept him," Callie answered almost sheepishly.

Arizona's heart lifted, the thought of Callie following through with one of the items on her list somehow soothed her conflicted mind. "And you named him _little guy? _Seriously, Calliope? What kind of name is that?" she jokingly chastised.

A hearty laugh emanated from Callie's throat, a sound Arizona had dreamed about every night for the past week.

God how she'd missed that laugh.

"I haven't named him, yet. I've just been calling him _little guy _until we could. . ."

The noxious sound of Callie's pager interrupted her statement. "Damn it!" she spat, glancing doing at the device clipped to her lab coat. Looking back up at Arizona, she appeared wary of her next move. "I. . .uh. . .I have to go," she hesitantly stated. "But. . .umm. . .I. . .are we. . ._okay_?" she nervously asked, her hands squeezed tightly together as her gaze focused solely on the pattern of Arizona's pajama pants.

Scooting forward, Arizona placed her hand under Callie's chin, forcing her to look her in the eye. When watery brown eyes found hers, she spoke. "Are you going to come back?"

Callie's face instantly fell. She was hurt by Arizona's question, even though she knew that her absence over the past week unfortunately made that question quite legitimate. Opening her mouth to speak, she was silenced by a slim index finger pressed firmly against her lips.

"If you're going to come back, then we're okay. If not. . ."

Callie didn't even give her the opportunity to finish that statement. "I'm coming back, Arizona. I promise."

Smiling, Arizona kissed Callie's cheek before pulling back and looking into her eyes, searching her face for any sign of uncertainty. When she saw only steadfast strength glistening in her girlfriend's soulful brown eyes, she nodded her head. "There's something I need you to do before you go," she stated.

"Anything, baby. Just name it, and it's done," Callie readily agreed. There wasn't anything in the world she wouldn't do for Arizona, and while she had already forgiven her, Callie knew she still had a lot of making up to do.

"You need to apologize to Alex. For hitting him. I know you were upset, and I'm sure he doesn't even care. . .but he's my best friend, Callie. . .and he's just as torn up about this as you. It's an. . ._adjustment_ for him having someone else in my life, someone who I love as much as you, and he's really trying so. . .please give him a chance. Make things right, because, I need _both_ of you," Arizona finished, hoping she wasn't asking too much of her girlfriend. She loved Callie. She was her world, but she loved Alex, too. There was no way she could have the two most important people in her life at each other's throats.

Callie remained silent as she watched the emotions play across her girlfriend's face. Reaching out to gently straighten the blue silken turban that rested atop her head, she softly smiled. "I'm really sorry for that. I really am. I was just. . .out of my mind. I know how important he is to you, sweetie. Of course I'll apologize."

Arizona leaned forward to gently press her lips to the Latina's, moaning softly when she felt Callie's hands fist into the material of her t-shirt. Pulling back, she tucked a stray raven curl bind her girlfriend's ear. "Thank you, Callie. You're amazing."

"We're amazing."

* * *

Moments later, Alex and Miranda quickly diverted their gazes in an attempt to make themselves look busy as the door of room 1614 opened to reveal an obviously fatigued, but slightly more coherent and happier looking Latina than the one they had maneuvered into the room just twenty minutes prior.

Making her way over to the pair, Callie stepped up in front of them. "I have surgery in five minutes, but I'll be back after that," she stated, needing them to believe in her. "I. . .uh. . .I just wanted to apologize to both of you, though. I know I haven't done what I said I would do, and I thank you, Bailey. . .for being here for Arizona when I wasn't. I. . .uh. . .just, thanks," she stammered.

Miranda nodded her head, squeezing her best friend's hand between her own. She was desperately worried for Callie's sanity, but she appeared to have come to some kind of decision while cradled in the warmth of Arizona's arms. It appeared that she had come to some kind of understanding - that she had perhaps begun to accept what was happening.

"And, Alex. . .I'm sorry for hitting you. I was frustrated. . .and-and. . . I know I let you down. I know I promised to catch her, but. . .I didn't. I wasn't there. I failed her, and I failed you. That won't happen again, though. I promise. I'm here for the long haul," Callie insisted in a rambled breath. "I don't want us t0 not get along because of this, Alex. Arizona loves both of us, and I'd really like it if we could be friends. I was just really upset, and. . .I'm sorry."

Alex looked skeptical, but conceded with a slight tilt of his chin. "I get it, Torres. I've been doing this for over two years," he gruffly admitted. "And, I've decided to stay. I'm going to find an apartment near the hospital so I'll be here. . .and I don't just mean for Arizona, but for you, too."

Callie reached out to pat Alex's elbow. "Thanks for that, Alex. You're a good friend, and I'm sure Arizona will be happy you're staying, but it's going to be okay. Nothing's going to happen to her. Everything is going to be fine."

And with that, Callie quickly rushed toward the OR, leaving two speechless and very worried best friends behind.

* * *

Standing outside room 1614, unnoticed by Arizona, Alex's gaze zeroed in on his best friend. So far, it had been one Hell of a day and just now was he starting to feel the effects of the emotional roller coaster he'd been on. Barely having any time to process the news himself, reality finally started to set in as he watched his friend of five years through the glass of the window.

The time had come for him to be strong for her, for him to be the rock he had always proven himself to be. Arizona was putting up a fight now, but he knew for certain that the day would come when she would unfortunately be too weak to do so. He knew his friend -perhaps better than she knew herself - and with that knowledge, he was sure that she was well aware of her chances of survival. Arizona Robbins was a realist - a surgeon - and she knew the odds. Deep down, while she was steadfastly putting on a brave front for Callie and him, he knew she was actually terrified out of her mind.

Gathering up the last of his energy, he blew out a breath before knocking on the door once before entering.

"Hey, you!" Arizona greeted.

"Hey. How you feeling?" he asked, opting for the moment to stand rather than sit.

"I'm good."

Skeptically raising his eyebrows, Alex regarded Arizona with a pointed look. Lying had never been something the blonde was good at.

Arizona became immediately aware of his apprehension when she saw the look on his face. "Honestly, Alex. I'm fine. I wasn't. . .for a while, but now, I am," she earnestly replied. She knew she should be freaking out about her prognosis, but having had the week from Hell - having gone through seven excruciating days not knowing if the love of her life was still her girlfriend - the only emotion she had the energy to feel at this point was. . ._relief._

Carefully regarding Arizona, Alex had to mentally halt himself from saying what he really thought, because while there might have been some truth to his best friend's words, he could see underneath the bravado. There was no doubt in his mind that she was relieved, but he'd known Arizona long enough to know that she was the master of deflecting and hiding how she really felt. Deciding to let it go for now, he chose to move on to a topic that was probably equally as dangerous. "And. . .Callie? How are things. . .with her?" he cautiously asked, careful not to sound attacking.

Sitting up and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Arizona thoughtfully considered Alex's question. Things were. . ._good_. Great even, now that her absentee girlfriend had returned, but there was still something nagging at the back of her mind. Something she wasn't quite ready to face, because she wanted to make sure whatever time they had together was filled with making happy memories and not dwelling on anything else. "She's good. I mean she's upset, understandably. . .and stressed. You saw her earlier. . .but, I think she's fine. Overall. She's just learning to deal with all of this," Arizona answered, determinedly choosing to ignore the little voice in the back of her mind.

Watching as Arizona kicked her legs back and forth from her position on the mattress, Alex took a deep breath before carefully choosing his next words. "I'm worried about her, Arizona. I know this is hard, and you know I've been through this before, so I get it, but. . . I'm worried. I'm afraid she still hasn't accepted this."

"She's getting there, Alex. This is all new to her. It's. . .hard. You should know that better than anyone."

They were both aware that neither of them had mentioned the actual disease that had caused today's events. Alex guessed that, in a way, they were both just as bad as Callie, refusing to mention it for fear of not being able to handle it themselves. Nodding his head and sitting down in the chair next to his best friend's bed, Alex reached out, tangling his fingers with Arizona's. Their combined digits hanging loosely between them as they looked at one another, both simultaneously thought about the first time Arizona had been diagnosed and how hard it was for Alex back then.

"I _do_ know, Arizona. . .which is why I'm worried. Not just for her, but for you. . ." Alex started, pausing to swallow the lump that began to form in his throat. "I know you want to protect her from this, but. . .you can only do that for so long. You need your strength for _you_. To fight. You have to be able to fight this and using up all your energy to put on a brave face for Callie. . .honestly. . .worries me."

Feeling the sting of tears in her eyes, Arizona dropped her head, knowing that seeing Alex get emotional would make her that way, too, and she really didn't feel like crying again, not after she'd just managed to stop. Reluctantly looking back toward her friend, she quickly wiped a lone tear from her face. "Just. . .give her some time, Alex. Please. She's trying, and I want to be strong for her. That's how this is going to work, and if I need a break. . .if I need some more strength, I've got you. . .right?" she spoke before breaking out her dimples and looking at her best friend in just that way that she knew he couldn't resist.

Alex knowingly rolled his eyes. "Way to avoid the subject and at the same time emotionally blackmail me, Robbins!" he retorted, reaching out to pinch a pale hand.

"Ow! Hey now! No picking on the patient!" Arizona teased, enjoying how they could go from serious to joking within a matter of seconds. This was why she loved Alex Karev. They could joke and goof around, but they also shared a bond that ran so much deeper than that.

Laughing and feeling the remaining tension leave the room, Alex kicked off his shoes before leaning back in his chair and throwing his feet up onto Arizona's lap. "Sure, use that excuse, why don't you!" he teases right back, making a point to wiggle his toes around just to annoy her. "And the answer is. . .of course. You've always got me, if you need me."

Smiling gratefully and deciding to be nice to her usually surly best friend, Arizona began to give him a platonic foot rub while contemplating what to say next. She didn't want to get too heavy, not when the awkwardness they had been feeling had just dissipated only moments ago. Glancing briefly at Alex, who had his arms folded behind his head enjoying her massage, she cleared her throat while keeping her eyes trained on what she was doing. "Alex. . .thank you for coming. When I called. Like always, you've got my back. It means so much that you're here for me. . .again."

With his eyes still closed, Alex casually asked, "You're not going soft on me are you, Robbins? You know how this works. You have my back, and I've got yours. But, just give it a few weeks, and you'll probably be sending me packing back to Baltimore."

"Yeah, I. . .hold on. . ._what_? _Weeks_? Don't you have to get back to work tomorrow?" Arizona incredulously questioned.

Smiling cheekily, Alex peeked open one eye to watch his best friend's reaction to his news. "Well, it seems that the Head of Peds here is a lot less of an ass than Dr. Stark, and he's given me a few days off to settle in first so, no. . .I don't have to be at work tomorrow."

Opening and closing her mouth a few times like a fish on dry land, Arizona shook her head. "Alex! You didn't have to do that. You can go back to Hopkins if you want. . .I. . .why would you do that? In the middle of your least year of residency?" she rambled, absolutely flabbergasted.

Alex sat up straight, though he kept his feet exactly where they were. "Arizona, can't you just say, _thank you, Alex_. _You're the best, Alex_. _I'm so happy you're staying, Alex." _

Looking him dead in the eye and seeing the seriousness on his face even as he spoke in a sing song voice, Arizona knew this was a fight she wasn't going to win. Truthfully, she wasn't sure she wanted to fight him on it, anyway. She knew she had one Hell of a battle ahead of her, and the honest to God's truth was that having Alex here - with her, watching over her, helping Callie, being her rock - meant the absolute world to her. She barely survived the first time without Alex's help, and she knew this time around would be even harder. If there was anyone other than Callie who was going to fight to make sure she held on for as long as possible, it was her best friend.

Smiling through the tears that threatened to slide down her cheeks, Arizona simply nodded her head. "Thank you, Alex," she genuinely replied.

Alex didn't say a word, choosing instead to tickle her middle with his big toe. When she started to laugh, so did he - both lost for a moment in the protection and familiarity of their friendship.

* * *

Later that evening, Arizona sat cross legged in the middle of her bed, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "I'll take two," she said, a poor excuse for a poker face covering her features as she glared at Alex who sat across from her in a chair, the bedside table separating them.

"You sure about that, Robbins?" he teased, fiddling with the miserable hand he had been dealt.

"Just give me the cards!" Arizona insisted, reaching out to grab them from his hand. Glancing down at her cards, a dimpled grin lit her face. "Full house, big guy! Read 'em and weep, sucker!" she cheered, raising her arms above her head in victory.

Alex scowled at his friend's antics, dejectedly throwing his own cards onto the table with a huff.

A knock on the door quickly pulled both of their attention toward the entrance of Arizona's room. "Just wanted to check on you before I head home," Miranda informed as she stepped closer to her patient's bed. "How do you feel tonight, Arizona?"

Arizona gathered their cards together before shuffling through the deck. "I'm feeling. . ._okay_," she stated with a nod of her head. "No nausea since early this morning. No vomiting. I had more of an appetite today than I've had in a while, so _that_ was nice. I managed to eat some pizza that Alex brought for lunch."

Miranda nodded her understanding before her eyes darted around the room. "Has Callie been back to see you, today?" she asked, presuming when she couldn't locate her friend at the end of their shift that she would find her here. "I haven't seen her since earlier."

The smile that was curling at the corners of Arizona's lips instantly faded. "I. . .uhh. . ." She shook her head and swallowed hard. She hadn't even thought about it. Of course she had hoped that Callie would be back at some point during the day, but she also knew the demands of being a surgeon. As realization began to dawn, her heart plummeted into her stomach. This couldn't be happening. Not again. "No, she. . .umm. . .she hasn't been back. I. . .I haven't seen her since she left for her surgery. . .earlier today."

Alex and Miranda both immediately recognized the trepidation on Arizona's face, the tremble in her voice evidence of where her thoughts had gone and just how hurt she was.

"Sh-she. . .she's gone again, isn't she?" Arizona shakily questioned, her eyes filling with moisture as her hand came up to cover her mouth.

Alex immediately stood from his seat, his face red with rage as he moved toward the exit. He had simply had enough. He had let Callie slide once, but now - he didn't really care that she was a woman - because he was perfectly intent on kicking the wayward Latina's ass.

Miranda reached out to gently lay her hand upon her patient's forearm. "Arizona, I. . ."

Arizona shook her head. "It's. . .this is all just too m-much for her. I mean, how could I ever expect. . ."

Arizona's strangled statement was interrupted by the lively high pitched bark of a puppy as it quickly scurried into her room before rambunctiously jumping up onto her bed to settle in her lap. Letting out a muffled laugh at the puppy's playfulness, watery blue eyes glanced up from the fur ball in her lap to meet the most beautiful chocolate brown eyes she had ever seen.

"He likes you," Callie quietly stated as she fiddled with the now unattached leash she held in her hand. Moving to sit on the edge of Arizona's bed, she tenderly reached out to caress a pale cheek, her brown eyes taking in every feature of her girlfriend's face. She could see the remnants of stress from the past week written there, along with worry and apprehension etched around her eyes.

Callie hated that she was one of the main causes for the emotional turmoil her girlfriend had recently suffered, and leaning in slowly, she closed the small distance between them, placing a chaste, yet firm kiss on pink lips. It was a simple kiss, sweet and light, no tongue or teeth, just a reminder to Arizona that she was here and wasn't planning on going anywhere ever again.

Pulling back, the Latina smiled at Arizona whose eyes remained closed as a dreamy expression lit her face.

"Well, I guess I'd better go," Alex stated, his face pink with a slight blush, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had fallen around the room. "You're woman's here, now. I'm sure she'll be able to. . .uh. . .entertain you for the rest of the night," he added with a smirk.

Rolling her eyes, Arizona was mere seconds away from telling Alex that he really shouldn't give up his day job when Callie cut in. "No. Please stay, Alex. I want you here for this. You too, Miranda," Callie softly stated, her eyes never once straying from her girlfriend's beautiful face.

Looking confused and slightly hesitant, Alex looked to Miranda who shrugged her shoulders not knowing herself what was going on.

"What's going on, Calliope? Is. . .everything alright?" Arizona nervously asked. Only seconds ago, she was scared that Callie had run again, her stomach full of butterflies, but now she was here, staring at her intently with a look that Arizona didn't recognize.

"I'm sorry I took so long. I had to go home and pick up a couple things."

"Ok?" Was all Arizona could manage, still feeling uneasy and curious as to why Callie wanted an audience present for whatever it was she was about to say.

"Don't you want to know what it was that I had to home to get?" Callie asked.

"I'm not really sure, Callie," Arizona replied, a slight edge to her tone as she felt herself starting to get angry. The Latina was smiling at her beautifully, and normally angry was far from what Arizona would feel when that smile was aimed at her, but her girlfriend's vagueness was really starting to annoy her. All she really wanted to know was why she had been gone for hours when they had only just reconciled. She wanted to know what Callie was thinking and feeling.

Was she getting ready to leave her again?

Was she going to break up with her?

Did Callie want Alex and Miranda to stay so that they could console her when Callie bolted out the door?

Taking a deep breath, Callie reached into her pocket, fingering the small velvet box that lie there before producing it to Arizona on her outstretched palm. Blue eyes immediately widened as it suddenly became difficult for Arizona to breathe as she scrutinized the offering that rested in the middle of Callie's hand.

Similar reactions were on the faces of Alex and Miranda who stood silently watching the scene unfold, both shocked by what they were witnessing. Not wanting to ruin what was obviously an important moment for her best friend, but also desperately worried that Callie was about to do something for all the wrong reasons, Miranda spoke up. "Um. . . .Callie. . .could we talk, please?" she asked, hoping to get a moment alone with her best friend before she could do something she might regret.

Refusing to take her eyes off the shocked gaze of her girlfriend, Callie shook her head. "Nope, sorry. Not now, Bailey. I already know what you want to say, but you don't need to," Callie calmly insisted, a wave of excitement ebbing through her body.

Callie wasn't at all nervous. How could she be? Not when everything inside her told her that this was the best decision she'd ever made. She knew what Miranda wanted to say - what Alex was probably thinking - but they were wrong. Callie had never been more sure of anything in her life. She'd been thinking about this moment for a while now, but there was always the voice in the back of her head telling her it was too soon or that it wasn't the right time, but if the past week had taught her anything, it was that she needed to live in the now. She couldn't wait for the right time, because anything could happen. She needed to act on moments when they arose and sitting here in front of the most wonderful woman she had ever laid eyes on, Callie was certain that the moment was now. There couldn't have been a more perfect time than this.

"Calliope. . .wh-what. . .what's this?" Arizona softly asked, finally finding her voice.

Genuinely smiling and with surprisingly still hands, Callie opened the small box, revealing a beautiful platinum engagement ring, with diamonds shining as brightly as Arizona's blue eyes. "It's a ring. _Your_ ring, if you'll accept it," she simply stated, watching the display of emotions wash over her girlfriend's face.

"I. . .are you doing this because of the leukemia? Because, Calliope. . .I love you more than anything, but-but I. . ." Arizona stammered, but that was all she was able to get out before Callie placed a single tanned finger over her lips.

"It's not because of the leukemia."

"Callie. . ." Arizona was skeptical. She was blown away - speechless and overjoyed - but she was also worried that the news of her health was making Callie do something she thought she _had_ to do, instead of something she _wanted_ to do.

"Arizona. I love you. More than _anything_ or _anyone_ in my life. I've had this ring for a while now, and I was going to do this when we went to Paris. . .but then, this week happened, and I. . .I realized that I can't wait. I don't want to wait. I'm not doing this out of some misguided sense of loyalty or because I want to prove something to you. I'm doing this because the first time I saw you. . .I knew that we were destined to be together. The first time I kissed you, my whole world shifted, but at the same time, everything fell into place. I'm doing this because you, Arizona Robbins, are the love of my life and I want to spend a lifetime with you. . ." Pausing briefly to regain control of her now shaking voice, Callie took a cleansing breath. Taking Arizona's hand and looking directly into her eyes, hoping she could see everything she was feeling inside, she continued. "However long that lifetime may be. I love you. I'm always going to love you. Today, tomorrow, next month, next year. . .and the year after that. So. . .Arizona, will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Arizona opened her mouth to speak, but the maelstrom of thoughts and emotions that inundated her heart, her body, and her soul rendered her completely speechless. . .

* * *

**AN: **Hmm. . .what's Arizona going to say? Yes? No? Maybe? We hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, and we look forward to reading each and every one of your reviews and comments. Thanks for sticking with this story. It means so much!


	10. Chapter 8

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **A big thank you to everyone for sticking with this story and for continuing to read and review. We enjoy reading each and every review. Your interest and support means so much! Now, let's see what Arizona had to say. . .

* * *

_**Chapter Eight**_

* * *

_Arizona opened her mouth to speak, but the maelstrom of thoughts and emotions that inundated her heart, her body, and her soul rendered her completely speechless. . ._

All eyes were on Arizona as she remained cross legged in the middle of her bed, puppy resting in her lap, and stunned into complete speechlessness. Off to the side, Alex and Miranda stood as still as statues, both afraid to even breath for fear of ruining such a huge moment in their best friends' lives. Callie's eyes, shining with all the love in the world, bored into Arizona's baby blues, her heart pounding as she waited for the answer she so desperately needed to hear.

When it felt like too much time had passed, Callie opened her mouth to speak, but Arizona beat her to it.

"No."

Callie's brow furrowed in confusion, her mouth falling agape. "No? You mean. . .no, you don't want to marry m-me? You-you. . .don't want to be my wife?" she shakily asked.

"I. . .Callie. . .I'm _so_ sorry, but. . .I can't marry you. My answer is. . .no."

* * *

Sitting on her bed, knees pulled up and chin resting on them, Arizona shook her head and growled aloud for the millionth time that morning. Despite how much she fought it, how much she willed herself to try and forget it, she couldn't stop thinking about the previous night.

The look on Callie's face when she said '_no_'. The shocked gasps from Alex and Bailey. The way Callie's chocolate brown eyes filled with tears as her beautiful face clouded with pain.

It had been twelve hours since she'd undoubtedly broken Callie's heart and not a moment had gone by that she hadn't felt like the worst person on the planet, but she wasn't going to change her mind.

She couldn't.

She made the right choice by saying '_no_', or at least she was trying her best to convince herself of that. She didn't want to hurt Callie, but she couldn't marry her. It just wasn't possible, and to make matters worse, Callie hadn't stopped showing up in her room all morning after texting her all night when all Arizona really wanted was to be left alone.

She didn't want to deal with the fall out.

She didn't want to have to look into Callie's expressive eyes and feel the guilt of her actions.

All she felt like doing was curling up into a ball to block out the rest of the world, and she just wished that everyone, including Callie, could respect that wish.

"I can hear you thinking from a mile away," a voice called from her doorway. "Want to talk about what's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

Arizona's head snapped up at the sound of her girlfriend's voice. Taking in every one of Callie's gorgeous features, she noted that the Latina looked pained, yet hopeful at the same time. Her beautiful eyes silently begged her to talk to her, but all Arizona felt was a surge of guilt course through her, which in turn made her angry. "What, Callie? What do you want?" she harshly asked.

Flinching at the despondency she heard in her girlfriend's voice, Callie's eyes momentarily dropped to the floor. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to settle her racing heart, she drew her eyes back up to stare at Arizona as she moved further into the room.

At just before ten in the morning, this was the fourth time she'd been into her girlfriend's room, and every time Arizona had been distant and cold. Callie had no idea what was going on - no idea where her head was. She was acting like a completely different person than the one she'd come to know and love, and it was killing Callie to see her this way - so unlike the person she had fallen in love with not so long ago.

"Arizona. . ._please_. Can we talk?" Callie softly asked as she stepped up to the foot of the small hospital bed.

"I don't have anything I want to say to you right now, Callie. I just want you to leave. Please," Arizona coldly stated, hating herself more and more with each word tumbling out of her mouth.

"Well, I have plenty to say to you," Callie quickly insisted. "You don't just get to shut me out like this. Please, Arizona. I love you, and. . .we need to talk about this," she persisted.

"I don't know how to make myself any clearer, Calliope!" Arizona venomously spat. "I don't want to talk. . .I-I don't want you here! I don't want to see you. What about that don't you get?!" Arizona shouted, the confusion and fear she was feeling within herself was so all consuming that the only way she knew how to deal with it right now was by transforming it into anger. Her fists clenched by her side, nails digging into the palms of her hands. She desperately needed Callie to leave before she completely lost it, and the longer she stood there, beautifully broken and pleading with her, the angrier she got.

"I don't get _any_ of it!" Callie contended. "Please Arizona. . .if. . .if it's about the proposal, I can take it back. I mean yes, I'm upset, but. . .I love you. No matter what. I just want to be with you," she continued as she moved around the bed to sit on its edge, but she halted in her tracks when Arizona jumped up, faster than she'd ever before seen her move.

Arizona's eyes were fierce, the normally crystal blue now a dark gray, and Callie could recognize the fire burning there as she spoke. "Can't you just leave me alone? Can't you just respect my wishes? You. . .you're h-hovering. You're suffocating me, and I can't fucking breathe! You have no right to be upset! You left _me_, Callie! So, you don't get to come back here and be pissed at me!" she screamed, the elastic band of her tolerance that had been slowly stretching longer and longer overnight now snapping right back in Callie's face.

Shocked beyond belief, Callie opened her mouth, but no words came out. She had no idea what to say - what to do. She'd never seen Arizona like this, and it terrified her. She felt as if she were losing her right before her very eyes, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"I'm not giving up, Arizona. . .so you can yell and you can scream all you want, but I'm not leaving. Not again. I'm here, and I'm staying," Callie resolutely stated.

Arizona felt her heart race as Callie stood directly in front of her, firm and unwavering even while tortured and distressed. She could feel her scrutinizing her - trying to see inside her - and the thought that Callie already knew her better than just about anyone in such a short amount of time, terrified her. She was scared that her girlfriend would be able to see through her anger - through this facade - and her heart raced as the Latina stood there, relentless in her fight. She wanted to run into her arms and grab hold and beg her not to leave her even as she was pushing her away, but the irrational part of her needed to get Callie out of the room. She couldn't deal with this - not now.

Raising a shaking hand and motioning toward the door, Arizona yelled. "Get out. Now, Callie! I don't want you here. Get out!"

Clearly wounded, Callie stepped back, her heart aching. No matter what she said, Arizona was still determined to not listen or talk to her. She didn't want to leave. She promised Arizona she wouldn't go anywhere, but she could tell by her girlfriend's actions, her icy tone, and her infuriated eyes that she wasn't going to get anywhere. Not right now at least. Conflicted she stood motionless and staring, completely at a loss of what she should do.

"Hey! What's going on in here?" Alex shouted as he rushed into the room after hearing his best friend's shouts from halfway down the corridor. Coming to a stop beside a frozen Callie and across from a livid Arizona, he repeated himself. "What's happening in here?"

"She wants me to leave," Callie quietly stated in disbelief.

Alex looked between the two before shaking his head. He'd given what happened the previous night a lot of thought and while shocked at Arizona's initial reaction, he had hoped by morning, she would have calmed down enough to be able to be honest with Callie, but from the look on his best friend's face, he could tell that he had clearly been wrong. "Arizona. . .don't you think you two should talk? You love Callie. . .she loves you. She only wants to find out what you're feeling right now. What you're thinking. Give her a chance. You need all the support you can get right now," he implored of his best friend.

Arizona recoiled as if slapped. "You. . you're t-taking her side? Over mine?" she angrily asked as she narrowed her eyes at Alex.

"I'm not taking _anyone's_ side," Alex quickly asserted. "I'm just trying to do right by both of you, and you yelling and screaming at Torres when she's done nothing wrong, isn't fair, and you know it. Don't forget that I know you, Arizona. . .better than you know yourself most of the time," he said, a hint of a warning in his voice as he looked Arizona square in the face, unafraid to go toe to toe with her if he needed to call her out on her bullshit when he needed to.

"I can't believe you right now, Alex! You know what? Both of you, actually. You both think you _know_ me - what is_ best_ for me. Well, newsflash! Both of you are wrong. Really fucking wrong! Neither of you know anything!" Arizona screamed, the veins in her neck pulsing as she spoke.

"Arizona. . .come on. . ." Alex began, pleading with her to just stop.

"Go away!" Arizona loudly choked as she felt the emotions within her begin to overwhelm her.

Stepping forward, Callie tried to catch her girlfriend's attention, but she just stepped back, avoiding all contact. "Please, please, Arizona. I love you _so_ much. I need you. Please, talk to me. Tell me what I can do to fix this," she tried once more.

Arizona was finding it hard to breathe and knew she was mere seconds away from crying. She didn't want them here now. She didn't want them to witness her break down. Lifting her head, she momentarily looked at Alex to find him pointedly regarding her, and that only served to further piss her off. Turning her gaze to Callie, she made sure she looked her dead in the eye. "I want you to go away. . ._now_! Just get the fuck out of my room, and you can take _your best friend_, Alex with you. I don't _need_ either of you, and I don't _want_ either of you here, so get the fuck out!" she shouted, her voice not once wavering as she delivered the final blow.

Callie was sure that he heart completely stopped, shocked into complete silence as tears unwillingly spilled over her eyelids to stain her tanned face. She didn't recognize the woman standing in front of her, and that alone terrified her.

Alex, on the other hand, only huffed in annoyance, more pissed than hurt. He was fairly sure he knew what Arizona was doing, but calling her out - in front of Callie - probably wasn't a good idea. Not when she was so mad. Not when she needed time to process this in her own way.

Angry, hurt, terrified, and in urgent need of being alone, Arizona felt her blood boil as Callie and Alex stood there, not moving, not leaving - not following any one of her commands. Feeling the last thread of control she had wilt away she opened her mouth before screaming at the top of her lungs. "Fuck off! Both of you! Just get the Hell out of here. NOW!"

Unable to hold herself together any longer, Callie shook her head in disbelief as she stared into the raging tumultuous eyes of the woman she loved. Resigning herself for the moment, she backed out of the room, stumbling into the two people standing in Arizona's doorway on her way out. "Excuse me. I'm sorry," she softly mumbled in apology before quickly turning on her heel and hastily rushing down the hallway.

Breathing hard, heart booming in her chest, and red in the face, Arizona was so consumed by unbridled rage and fury that she didn't notice the arrival of the two people who were now standing in the doorway with their eyebrows raised and mouths agape. Not even Alex had noticed, not until a voice strangely similar to Arizona's floated across the room, causing both his head and his best friend's to simultaneously snap toward the entrance.

"Arizona?"

Arizona's irritation ebbed, transforming into dread before swiftly turning to shock and exasperation. "M-mom? Dad? What are you doing here?"

* * *

"My God, Bailey. What am I going to do?" Callie dejectedly asked as she hung her head, hands braced against the cool rim of the scrub sink. Shaking her head, she aimlessly peered down the stainless steel drain. "She said no, Bailey. Can you believe she said _no_? And now. . .now she doesn't want to see me. Like at all. What the Hell happened? H-how did we get to this place? She freakin' said _no_!"

Miranda shook her head, considering her words as she continued to scrub. She'd been thinking about her response to this question since the fateful moment when the word '_no_' tumbled from her patient's mouth. "Callie. . ." she began, though she quickly trailed off. Closing her eyes and shaking her head, Miranda let out a long breath. "You put yourself out there. You put your heart on the line and made your feelings clear. Obviously. . .things didn't go as you'd planned, but I really. . ._really_ think you should stop and think before you hurl her ring into a river and drown yourself in a bottle of tequila."

Callie looked confused. "Wh-what? I can't even be bothered by your cryptic responses right now. Just tell me, Bailey. What the Hell am I supposed to do?"

Miranda kicked off the flow of water with the pedal at her foot before turning to face her friend. "I know you assumed that Arizona would say yes. Hell, I thought she would, too, but you and Arizona aren't the same people, Callie. You both love differently, you. . ."

"You don't think she loves me?" Callie quickly interrupted, clearly wounded by her best friend's words. "Is that what you're saying? What? H-how. . ."

Miranda impatiently rolled her eyes. "That's not what I'm saying at all, Callie. So just shut up and listen to me for a minute," she hastily contested. Watching as her best friend rolled her own teary eyes, she decided to continue only when the Latina looked as if she were ready to _really_ listen. "You wear your heart on your sleeve, Callie. . .and it's a really big. . ._huge_ heart. Arizona's not like that. She is kind and caring and loving and. . ."

"She's not though! She's not like that right now. I don't know who she is. It's like I'm looking at her, and she's just this shell. All the Arizona has been scooped out, and she's just this shell now, and I want her back!" Callie couldn't help but interrupt, her voice wavering.

Miranda dropped her head, rolling it back and forth on her neck before looking back up at her best friend. "She's still in there, Callie. She has just as big of a heart as you, but she. . .she keeps things on the inside. She's strong, and she's loyal, and I think Arizona loves you. . .no, I _know_ she does, it's just. . .you need to talk to her. _Really_ talk to her, because I have a feeling that things aren't what they seem."

"Well, I would talk to her if she'd stop kicking me out of her room," Callie snipped, her voice thick with emotion. "She told me to _fuck off_, Bailey. She actually said those words. _Fuck off._ What the Hell?"

Miranda sighed, disregarding her thoroughly scrubbed hands to grasp both of her best friend's forearms. "If she won't talk to you now, then just. . .let her process. Maybe after she's had time to think, she'll be able to give you a more reasoned response than the one she blurted out last night."

Callie stared into the concerned dark brown eyes of her best friend as tears welled in her own. "Sh-she said no," she managed to choke out, her voice barely audible as thick paths of wetness trailed down her face. "H-how. . .what do I. . .what the _fuck. . ._"

Miranda's heart broke at the sight of her utterly devastated and completely broken best friend. "Listen to me, Callie," she sternly began. "Arizona Robbins loves you. . .but, you need to think about this. You need to search your soul and think about _why_ she might not want to marry you right now. . .and more importantly, you need to ask yourself if you can pick up the pieces if she. . ."

"She's not dying, Bailey," Callie was quick to insist, her sullen eyes reigniting with a fire of strength and determination.

Miranda squeezed her best friend's hands in her own as she stared at her with compassionate knowing eyes. "We're _all_ dying, Callie. Some sooner than others, and you need to prepare yourself for when she does."

* * *

With the curtain closed, the noises of the remainder of the infusion center were muffled, only an awkward silence permeating the air as Arizona's gaze remained fixed on her clasped hands that rested in her lap while her parents stole worried glances between each other and the top of their ailing daughter's head.

Alex stood off to the side watching this uncomfortable scene unfold, knowing full well that his best friend was more than a little pissed at him for not only calling her parents, but for agreeing with some of what Callie had said. Deciding that he needed some air, he cleared his throat before taking the curtain into his hand. "I. . .I'm going to go for a while. I have my phone. You can call me if you need anything," he softly stated as he pulled back the multi colored material. "It's nice to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Robbins."

Barbara only nodded as Daniel reached out to shake the younger man's hand. "Thank you for calling us, Alex," he earnestly stated.

Alex lifted his chin in recognition before glancing back toward his best friend who remained silent. Without saying another word, he slipped out of the area, pulling the curtain closed behind him.

Anxiously bouncing her knees up and down, Arizona didn't even acknowledge her best friend's hasty exit as she wholeheartedly refused to look either of her parents in the eye.

She was pissed. At the world. At Callie, though she wasn't exactly sure why. At Alex for taking Callie's side and for calling her parents. Hell, she was pissed at Miranda Bailey whom she hadn't even seen all day long. Closing her eyes and resting her head against the back of her infusion chair, she tried mightily to gain some control over the multitude of thoughts and feelings that were now threatening to make her sick.

"You should have told us, Arizona. We would have been here. We would have. . ."

"Not now, Barbara," Daniel quietly chastised, noting the internal struggle his daughter appeared to be experiencing.

Several more silent moments passed before a shaky sob emanated from deep within Arizona's chest. "I-I'm _so_ sorry. I should have called. I-I just thought I could do this on my own. . .with Alex. I didn't want you to. . ." she trailed off, unable to say anything more.

Moving quickly, Barbara gathered her broken thirty year old daughter into her arms, enveloping her into her strong motherly embrace as she gently began to rock her back and forth. Swallowing back her own tears, she looked up at her husband with anxious eyes before closing them as she kissed the top of her daughter's turban clad head. "We're here now, Arizona. None of the rest matters. We're here. It's okay, my sweet girl. . ."

"It's not okay, mom! It's not _fucking_ okay!" Arizona hastily argued against her mother's shoulder.

"Arizona!" Daniel began to scold, though she was quick to interrupt him, as well.

"No, dad. It's _not_ okay. No part of this is _okay_. W-we were all were so happy. . ." she trailed off as a tears continued to escape her eyes, trickling down her pale face to dampen the material of her mother's shirt. "But then Tim. . .and-and, I'd only been in remission for a few months. He. . ._died_, dad. Then the leukemia came back. I just couldn't put you through this again, not after you'd already been through so much."

Daniel reached out to lay a firm but gentle hand on his daughter's shoulder. "We're your parents, Arizona. We'll always be here for you. No matter what."

Arizona held onto her mom for several long moments as she attempted to regain her control on the situation, the gentle caress of her father's strong hand against her shoulder working wonders on her frazzled mind. Everything was spiraling out of control, and she desperately needed to get a handle on herself. She was already about to lose it after declining Callie's proposal, and then Alex - but seeing her parents, after so many months away - it all became too much to bear, to keep inside.

After what felt like an eternity, once the flow of her tears finally began to calm, she pulled back from her mom, giving the older woman a watery smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I just. . .I've had a really _shit_ week."

Though her heart was breaking at the thought of losing another child, Barbara nodded her understanding as Daniel cleared his throat in disdain upon hearing his daughter's choice of words. "Sorry, dad," Arizona immediately apologized with a sheepish smile. "But, it _has_ been a really, _really_ bad week."

Daniel took a seat in the chair next to his daughter. "It's okay, kiddo," he conceded, waving her off. "Just tell us what happened."

"And please start from the beginning," Barbara insisted.

Arizona cleared her throat as she wiped her eyes. Rubbing the heels of her palms into her eyes, she attempted to gather her thoughts. "You already know I've been here for almost four months, but. . .I didn't come for the residency program like I told you. I came because I couldn't bear to see the sad eyes that everyone at Hopkins kept giving me. I needed to go somewhere else. Somewhere that I was just a patient and nothing more. Somewhere that I wasn't the. . ._poor fifth year resident leukemia girl_," she trailed off, wiping her nose with a tissue that her mother offered. "So, I researched the best hospitals, and this is what I found. Alex came with me and got me settled. I started chemo again while we waited for news about a donor. A little over a month ago, we found one. My doctor - Dr. Bailey - she performed the transplant. Alex and Calliope were here with me, and we were so sure that it had worked. I was so happy. For the first time in a really long time, I was happy. . .and I was making plans. . .but, then a week ago. . .we found out that we were wrong. The bone marrow transplant failed, Calliope le-left me, Alex came back, then _she_ came back. . ."

Throughout their daughter's story, Daniel and Barbara had exchanged confused glances, both having a difficult time keeping up with her rambled tale of her time spent in Seattle. "Hold on just a second, sweetheart," Barbara requested as she patted her knee.

"You're getting away from us, kiddo," Daniel added.

"Who's Calliope?" Barbara innocently asked.

Arizona closed her eyes, the vision of Callie's magical eyes consuming her soul. Who was Calliope? A dream? A mirage? What were they now?

Letting out a shaky breath, she opened her eyes before flicking her gaze between her mom and dad. "Calliope. . .Callie. . .she is - _was_ - my girlfriend. She's a surgeon here at the hospital. Cardio. Brunette. . ."

"Oh," Barbara replied as realization dawned. "Are you talking about the beautiful young woman you threw out of your room this morning?"

Arizona rolled her eyes, though she couldn't deny it. Nodding her agreement, she skeptically searched her parent's faces.

"You've only been in Seattle for a few short months, Arizona. You've already found a girlfriend in that amount of time?" Daniel asked.

"_Ex_-girlfriend," Arizona pointedly clarified, unsure of whom she was really trying to convince of that fact.

"She didn't seem like an _ex_ to me," Barbara insisted.

Arizona blew out a breath through pursed lips. "It-it's just. . ._complicated_, mom. I don't know what she is. It's all just really _difficult_ to explain."

Slightly uncomfortable with what seemed to be turning into a _girlie_ conversation between his wife and daughter, Daniel cleared his throat as he looked around the small curtain area, hopefully planning his escape. "I-I'm going to run to get us some coffee, Barbara. What can I get you, Arizona?"

Arizona shook her head, certain that anything she tried to force into her body would be wholeheartedly rejected. "Nothing, dad. Thanks," she softly replied.

After watching her husband disappear behind the curtain, Barbara turned back to her daughter. Not wanting to think for a moment what her life would be like without this ray of sunshine in her life, she smiled almost mischievously as she took Arizona's hands into her own. "So, tell me all about this _Calliope_ of yours."

* * *

After finding his way to the cafeteria and purchasing two piping hot cups of coffee, Daniel stood outside the door of the chemotherapy infusion center, trying desperately to keep his stoic demeanor in check - certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would never be able to say goodbye to his little girl. Losing Timothy was devastating, coming without warning, the shock and disbelief overwhelming. There was no opportunity to prepare, no chance to resolve misunderstandings, no time to say good-bye. His and Barbara's life as parents had been irrevocably changed forever by the loss of their son, and it had taken forever for the reality of what had happened to finally sink in.

On some level, this was worse. Most parents never had to experience the death of one child, let alone two. He'd been there the first time when Arizona was first diagnosed, but right now, he was unsure of how he could once again sit back and watch his daughter fight what was possibly a losing battle. How could he watch his little girl suffer? How could he watch her die? He may have been tough - Colonel Daniel Robbins of the United States Marine Corp - but the truth was, when Arizona hurt, he did, too. From the very first _boo-boo_ she had ever received.

Remaining outside the door, he stared at the closed curtain area that he knew his wife and daughter were lingering behind. Feeling the presence of someone stepping up beside him, he curiously regarded the woman dressed in a white lab. "Are these your patients?" he asked after several silent moments as she continued to hover outside the door right along with him.

"Umm. . .no. I _am_ a doctor here, but these aren't my patients," she said with a shake of her head. "My _girlfriend, _though. . .she's unfortunately. . .one of these patients."

Daniel turned to fully face the woman standing next to him, looking her up and down. Noting the name embroidered into the starched white coat she wore, he smiled in acknowledgement. How many brunettes named _Calliope_ could be wandering around the hospital, anyway? "Dr. Calliope Torres," he read as he extended his right hand. "Daniel Robbins."

Callie quickly took the older man's hand with a slight smile, firmly shaking it before instantly realizing just who this kind stranger was. With chocolate brown eyes widening as she continued to grasp his proffered hand, she nervously looked up from their handshake to stare into his face. "I. . .umm. . .Mr. Rob. . .Colonel Robbins. It's a pleasure to meet you. . .sir."

Daniel softly chuckled. "Daniel is fine, Calliope," he insisted with a knowing smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Callie returned his smile. She was completely unable not to. There was just something about this man that she found comfortable. Welcoming. Warmhearted. Not unlike the way she generally felt in the presence of his daughter. "Callie is fine, sir," she insisted, letting go of his grip after a moment's silence. "My father and _your_ daughter are the only ones who call me Calliope."

Looking away from Callie, Daniel stared back through the window, his focus solely on the closed curtain area housing his daughter. "She's a pretty tough cookie, you know," he began with a rueful laugh.

"Yes sir, I know," Callie was quick to reply. "She's the strongest person I've ever met. She. . .she's _amazing_."

Daniel nodded, turning from the window to once again take in the sight of Callie Torres. "I've never seen my daughter like this. I've never seen her so conflicted - so confused. Not even when she came home one night and told me she liked girls. Not when she decided to become a surgeon. Not when Carlie left her. Not when her brother died, and not when she was first diagnosed with leukemia. It seems to me that she's upset and confused about her relationship with you. Would you agree with that assessment, Callie?" Daniel asked, hoping he could guide this woman into shedding some light on the situation.

Callie swallowed hard, afraid to say too much. This was Arizona's father – a man she'd met less than five minutes prior. What was she supposed to say? Deciding she needed to be as honest as possible, she cleared her throat. "Yes, sir. I. . .uh. . .I would agree with that."

Daniel nodded his understanding, though he remained quiet. Taking in the genuine concern in this woman's expressive brown eyes, he smiled. "You love my daughter don't you, Dr. Torres."

Callie's head nodded on its own accord. "I do," she firmly stated. "I love Arizona more than anything else in the world. More than anyone I've ever known. More than I'll ever love anyone else. I would love nothing more than to have the honor and privilege of spending every day. . .for the rest of my life with her, sir. No matter how long that may be. She is, without a doubt, the best thing that has ever happened to me. If I've learned anything from the past few months of knowing your daughter, sir, it's that we make our own destiny. . .and Arizona is part of mine. She's my destiny. . .my present and my future. She's my hope. She's my. . ._life_, and all I really want is the chance to prove that to her."

* * *

"She asked you to marry her?" Barbara asked in astonishment, her voice rising. "You've only known her for a few months and already she asked you to marry her?"

"Well, I hope you said yes."

Barbara and Arizona both looked from each other toward the intruder on their conversation. "I-I. . .what?" Arizona asked as her father as he entered the curtain area to take a seat next to his wife.

"I said, I hope _you_ said yes."

Both Robbins women stared at Daniel, their eyes wide and their mouths agape. "Daniel. . ."

"Listen to me, Arizona," he insisted as he handed his wife her now lukewarm cup of coffee before opening the banana popsicle Callie had commandeered for him to give to Arizona. "This is from Dr. Torres, by the way," he said as he offered the sweet treat to his daughter with an uncharacteristic wink of his blue eye.

Arizona was shocked. She'd never seen her father behave like this. He seemed almost. . ._giddy_. "When did you see Callie? Did she. . ."

Daniel only brushed off her question. "I want you to listen to me right now, and listen good," he began again, his tone serious as if he was speaking to a fifteen year old girl who had missed her curfew, not the thirty year old grown woman seated before him. "You need to let go of the past. Let today be the day you stop being haunted by the ghost of yesterday. I know the future is uncertain, but your mother and I raised you to be strong. . .loyal. Don't be afraid to live, Arizona. Don't let your fears keep you from being happy. You need to take the days of your life as they happen. If you spend time worrying over what _might_ happen, you'll only be wasting precious days that you'll wish you could get back. You'll regret not living your life. You'll wish you could have cherished every single day just a little bit longer. Please, please just think about this, because if you don't marry that girl, Arizona Robbins, I will."

* * *

Finding herself alone for what felt like the first time all day, Arizona wholeheartedly tried to relax her exhausted form, though her mind wouldn't stop racing. Her parents had left for the night, promising to be back tomorrow - even though she still had conflicting thoughts about their presence. She hadn't heard from Callie or Alex since she blew up at them both earlier that day, and although it had been her intention to make them leave, she now couldn't help but feel lonely and upset that they weren't there.

Her life had changed so dramatically and wonderfully over the last few months that she felt almost as if she were living someone else's life, but then - cold harsh reality slapped her in the face when she found out that the bone marrow transplant had failed, and since then, everything had relentlessly spiraled out of control.

"Ugghhhh!" Arizona moaned in frustration, throwing her arms down beside her, her hands bouncing against scratchy white cotton sheets. Dropping her head towards her chest, she closed her eyes, breathing in and out in an attempt to calm herself down. Feeling a trickle of something slick from her nose, she whined again before reaching over to blindly grab a tissue from the bedside table. Bringing it to her nose, she quickly cleaned herself off only to feel her nose run again.

Sniffling in an attempt to hasten the flow, she suddenly recognized the metallic taste that assaulted her tongue. Sitting up and covering her nose with her fingers, her eyes widened when she glanced down at her hand to find a smearing of blood. Hastily reaching to the bedside table, she grabbed the entire box of tissues, blotting and squeezing her nose as she futilely tried to stem the flow of blood. All too soon, her handful of Kleenex was soaked red with more and more of the sticky substance coating her fingers and palm.

Beginning to panic, she jumped from her bed, briskly making her way into her small bathroom before turning on the cold tap as blood continued to pour from her nostrils and into the basin. The sight, taste, and feel of the blood on her hands, in her mouth, and flowing from her nose was enough to make her physically ill.

Because. . .this was just a reminder. A haunting admonition of just how sick she really was.

Fruitlessly trying to scrub the blood from her skin and to halt the bleeding at the same time, she didn't hear the door to her room open and close, nor did she notice the figure standing silently in the doorway of her bathroom.

Leaning against the door frame, Alex watched as his best friend tried desperately to clean herself up. Sensing her panic and her fear, tears began to well in his eyes as the reality of the situation hit him full force.

He'd been secretly watching her all day long. Watching her struggle. Watching her fight herself. Watching as she sat in silent turmoil. Watching her push everyone away, including himself.

But no more. Still unnoticed, he briskly moved forward, grabbing a small washcloth before silently stepping up beside his best friend.

"Alex!" Arizona gasped, jumping a mile into the air as he appeared out of nowhere, washcloth in hand as he ran it under warm water. "I've got this. You can go," she insisted, knowing how hard this all actually was for him.

Completely ignoring her, Alex laid the washcloth to Arizona's face, placing it against her nose. "Sit up straight...tilt your head forward. You know how this goes," he calmly instructed. Watching the uncertainty flash through her eyes, he stared her down, his ominous glare telling her that there was no way in Hell he was going to leave. Feeling her body slacken in concession, he gently guided her to sit atop the closed toilet seat. "Hold this over your nose," he directed.

Arizona dramatically rolled her eyes. "I'm not an idiot, Alex. I am a doctor, too, you know."

Alex briefly smiled, turning from her to run another cloth under the water before he lathered it with soap. Kneeling down in front of his grumpy best friend, he carefully began to clean her blood stained hands. Silence surrounded them as they went about their tasks, lost in their own thoughts as a sense of déjà vu loomed above them, both recalling similar situations from years before.

"It stopped." Arizona's low voice finally broke the silence.

Alex didn't respond, but only looked up to see that the bleeding had indeed stopped. Taking the bloody cloth from Arizona's trembling hand, he deposited it into a red biohazard bag. Turning from his best friend, he quietly left the room, allowing not only Arizona, but himself, the time necessary to compose themselves.

Taking her time to wash and dry her face and hands, Arizona felt butterflies, or more like a herd of giant elephants stampeding around in her stomach, because she knew very well why Alex was here.

He wasn't here to quietly sit by while she continued to hide from Callie.

He was here to kick her ass. He was here to make her come clean with him. He was here to make her face her fears.

Knowing it was now or never, she slowly stepped out of the bathroom before quietly closing the door behind her. Hearing movement behind him, Alex gathered all his strength to slowly turn around. Looking at his best friend standing only a couple feet from him, he took in just how fragile, small, and vulnerable she appeared. He wanted to go and hug her. He wanted to tell her everything was going to be okay, but Arizona needed to make the first move.

So he simply stared at her without saying a word.

And he waited.

Arizona stared back at her best friend - her rock - and within seconds, her bottom lip started to tremble as she felt a lump gather in her throat. It took even less time before she felt the first tear slide down her face, and then only five more seconds before she threw herself into the awaiting arms of her best friend.

A moan of absolute heartache ripped from her throat, her tears spilling over hard and fast as she struggled to catch her breath. Alex's arms tightly wrapped around her, but it still wasn't enough. Feeling herself starting to hyperventilate, she began to panic.

She was consumed with emotion.

She was terrified of dying.

She was scared of leaving Alex.

She was devastated at not being able to marry Callie and share a life with her.

She was going to die, and there was nothing she could do about it. She'd never felt so scared and alone in her entire life.

"It's okay, Arizona. Breathe. . .just breathe. Come on now, Robbins. Breathe with me," Alex tried to sooth as he felt the struggle Arizona was having. Pulling back, he looked at her tear stained face as he continued to try to walk through it with her.

"I-I c-can't, Alex. I-I can't breathe. . .I c-can't. . ." she choked out as she gasped for air. It felt as if her throat was closing up, like someone was holding their hand around her heart and squeezing the life out of her.

She wanted Callie. She wanted to live. She didn't want this. This wasn't her plan.

"You can, Arizona. Just look at me. Focus on me and breathe. . .in through your nose and out through your mouth," Alex coaxed his crying friend, breathing right along with her and finding that it helped himself keep his own emotions in check.

Slowly, Arizona began to gain greater control over her breathing as she started to inhale and exhale with greater ease, though the vice like grip on her heart refused to desist. She didn't protest when Alex maneuvered her to sit on the bed, nor when he sat behind her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, completely platonic but it made her feel surrounded by love, giving her the sense of security she so desperately needed.

"Talk to me, Arizona. If you can't talk to Callie, then talk to me. You know you can tell me anything," Alex gently coaxed. "Holding all of this in is going to destroy you _and_ your relationship with Callie. Just talk to me, Arizona. Please."

"I. . .I'm going to d-die, Alex. . .and-and I'm so scared. I don't want to die. I'm not ready to go yet," Arizona cried, causing Alex to nearly lose his resolve upon hearing his best friend's declaration. "I love her so m-much, Alex. . .I don't know how to l-leave her. God how do I say goodbye to her? How can I do that to her, Alex? How?" she questioned, begging him to give her an answer that he did not have.

"You don't have to say goodbye yet, Arizona. You're still here, and you're fighting. . .and Callie, Bailey, and I are going to do everything in our power to _help_ you. We aren't letting you go without a fight, Robbins," Alex honestly replied. "We're going to fight for as long and as hard as we possibly can."

"When she asked me to m-marry her. . .I wanted to shout _yes_. I. . .Calliope wants to marry me. . .I c-couldn't believe it, but I can't do that to her, Alex. I-I just can't," Arizona continued to sob. Alex's arms made her feel safe to talk - to admit what she couldn't say to Callie - because she knew that if the brunette heard this, it would break her. Arizona just couldn't do that to her. She'd rather push Callie away and force her to hate her than have her hear how frightened she was to die. How terrified she was of having to say goodbye.

Alex knowingly nodded his head. He knew this was what his best friend was doing the entire time. Now, if only he could only make Arizona see the bigger picture. "You're trying to protect Callie? You want to spare her the pain, right? You don't want to marry her to only have to. . .leave her?"

Whimpering, Arizona nodded. "Yes. . .I have to protect her, Alex. She's not strong enough for this. I want nothing more than to marry her. . .to be able to call her my wife. That would be a dream come true, but how can I do that to her? How can I say yes?"

"You're not doing anything _to_ her, Arizona," Alex insisted. When Arizona didn't respond, he moved around his best friend so he could face her. "Listen. Look at me, please," he begged.

Sniffling and wiping her eyes, Arizona turned to face him. Taking her smaller hands into his own, he tightly squeezed them. Voice strong and confident, he made sure she was looking him straight in the eye. "That woman loves you. More than anyone I've ever known. You wouldn't be hurting her, Arizona. You'd be making her happy. She loves you _that_ much, and she wants to marry you. She wants to be here for you, every day. You can't change the leukemia, but you can change the way your life plays out. I know it's unfair. It fucking sucks, and if I could, I'd trade places with you in an instant, because this kills me, Arizona. Every day - knowing that I'm going to lose my sister, my best friend - it slowly kills me. But, you have to live in the now. You have an amazing woman who loves you more than life itself, so stop trying to protect her, Robbins, and just. . .be happy," Alex implored, surprising himself with the level of sincerity and love evident in his own speech.

With tears still freely falling from glassy eyes, Arizona sobbed harder upon hearing his words.

He was right.

She _was_ terrified.

She _was_ scared out of her mind.

But, she loved Callie. So much.

She wanted to be with her.

She should have been making the most of her time left, and if she could do that as Callie's wife, nothing in the world would make her happier.

"I'm so scared though, Alex. All the time," she admitted. And it felt good. She was still terrified, but it felt like a weight was being lifted from her shoulders. By letting this go, she could now try to move forward and enjoy what remaining time she had left.

Shedding his own tears, Alex pulled her back into his embrace. Feeling Arizona wrap her smaller arms around his neck, he kissed her gently on the forehead. "I know you are. I am too, but it's going to be okay. I'm here for you and so is Callie. You just have to let us in, Arizona. Don't push us away," he whispered.

Arizona shook her head, allowing herself to be engulfed in her best friend's arms, reveling in the security only Alex could bring. Now all she needed was Callie - to make things right and to feel her touch - because then and only then would she feel close to being whole again. "I won't push either of you away again," she softly pledged into his shoulder. "I promise, Alex. . .I promise."

* * *

An hour later, Arizona anxiously sat back on her bed, distractedly listening to Alex ramble on about his new boss and the upcoming surgeries he was looking forward to. Getting lost in her own mind, she replayed the day's events back through her mind, smiling slightly as she thought of the conversation she had had with her father, his words running through her mind on continuous play. He wasn't a man who usually spoke of his feelings - a trait Arizona had inherited - but his words today had really opened her eyes. Hearing that from him and expressing her fears to Alex, combined with the ever present ache in her heart at Callie's absence, made everything seem so much clearer.

She wanted Calliope.

Not just for today or tomorrow or the week after, but for as long as she would have her.

She loved her more than she'd ever loved anyone else in her life - more than she would ever be able to love anyone else. She still had lingering fears and doubts about promising Callie a lifetime and only being able to deliver a few months, but Alex and her father had made her realize that Callie didn't care about that. The Latina wanted her for however long she could have her, and she felt the exact same way. She had experienced a moment of fear and of doubt, but never once had she questioned her love for Callie or vice versa.

"Why don't you just text her?" Alex's gruff voice interrupted Arizona's silent stream of thoughts.

Arizona huffed in reply. "What would I say to her, Alex? '_Hi, Callie. So sorry about throwing you out of my room and basically telling you to go fuck yourself, but hey, do you still want to marry me?' _Yeah, I can see that going over really well," she sarcastically retorted as she threw a balled up tissue at her friend.

Rolling his eyes, he picked up the scrunched up Kleenex before chucking it back toward her. "How about, '_I'm sorry I was such a bitch. I was scared, but I love you. . .and yes, I do want to marry you. If you're willing to put up with my crankiness and sarcasm. . .oh, and the fact that I'm the most stubborn person on the face of the earth'," _Alex cheekily replied, winking at Arizona who rolled her own eyes.

"Geez, Alex. What would I do without you?" she laughed as she threw herself backward onto the bed.

Laughing quietly, Alex momentarily allowed his mind to conjure up the reality of when that time would happen - of when he would be faced with the situation of being without Arizona, but as quickly as that thought flashed through his head, he stubbornly closed his mind to those thoughts. That was something he wasn't willing to allow himself to think about just yet.

"Hey, Arizona. . .Alex. How are you this evening?" Miranda asked as she entered the room for her nightly rounds.

Arizona immediately shot up in the bed. "Oooh, Bailey! Hi! How are you?" she responded with a smile, her mood instantly perking up at the arrival of her. . .hopefully _still _girlfriend's best friend.

Eyes slightly widening at the response, Miranda furrowed her brow. She'd hoped to find her patient in better spirits than when she had last seen her. This certainly was a change from the Arizona she had seen last night, and definitely wasn't the Arizona Callie had been telling her about all day long. "I'm doing well, and you're obviously feeling. . ._better_?" Miranda asked as she swiftly moved closer to the bed, kicking Alex's legs out of the way to free up her path.

"I am," Arizona quickly replied. "And. . .I was just wondering. . .uh. . .is Callie still here or. . ." She trailed off with a nervous smile, as she wondered if Bailey was perhaps mad at her for hurting her best friend so much.

Before Bailey could respond, the person in question suddenly appeared in the doorway. Without waiting to be invited in, Callie briskly moved forward, her eyes focused solely on Arizona. Taking a deep breath, she spoke. "I know you don't want me here, but I honestly don't care. I told you I wasn't going anywhere again, and I meant it. I love you, and I'm all in. So, I'm just going to sit here with you," she firmly stated as she dropped herself onto the edge of Arizona's bed. "You don't have to talk to me. Hell, you don't even have to look at me, but I'm not going anywhere," she continued, sounding a lot braver than she actually felt. Clearing her throat, she decided to just go for broke. "I've thought about you all day, Arizona. You were mean and rude, and you hurt my feelings, but guess what? I'm a big girl. I can take it. So, you can swear, and you can yell, and you can tell me to _fuck off _all you want. I don't really care, because I love you, Arizona. I'm not running again. I'm here, and you're just going to have to deal with it."

Surprised by Callie's reappearance and then her rambled admission, but secretly ecstatic at the words that had just spewed from the Latina's mouth, Arizona didn't even think about her next words, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "Ask me again," she simply stated as her heart pounded and her pulse roared with excitement.

Brow scrunching, Callie looked at Arizona, not sure that she was actually talking to her, considering how she'd been treated throughout the day. Looking to Alex, she saw the smug smile on his face which only served to confuse her even more. Glancing toward her best friend who seemed to have an all knowing smile on her face as well, Callie's eyes widened in bewilderment.

"Well, go on, Torres. You heard the woman!" Miranda insisted, stepping back out of the way.

Turning to look at the woman seated in the middle of the small hospital bed, Callie dared to hope that Arizona had decided to talk to her. It had been not only a long and painful day, but a long week as well, and she really just missed her girlfriend. So much had happened in that short amount of time, and all Callie wanted was for things to go back to the way they were - for them to spend days lazing in bed together where they kissed and cuddled and whispered hushed _I love yous_.

"You want me to-to ask you again? Are you sure?" Callie asked, her voice slightly shaking with anticipation.

Sitting up on her knees and moving towards the edge of the bed, Arizona brightly smiled at Callie.

She was sure.

Her heart was sure. There wasn't anything in the world that she wanted more.

"I was a bitch to you, and I'm so sorry. You're right. . .I was. . ._scared_, Calliope. So, I pushed you away, because you deserve someone who can give you a lifetime of happiness. . .not only a few months. You deserve someone who is going to be th-there for you. Someone you can take a lifetime journey w-with. I was. . .no, I _am_ terrified because, I can't give that to you. I want to. So much. B-but. . .I'm not sure that I can. It may not be possible, but what _is_ possible is for me to love you for however long I have left. To make sure you know every single day exactly how much you mean to me. How grateful I am to have found you. I want to cherish every single second, minute, and day I have left with you. So, yes. I'm sure. Please. . .please give me another chance, and ask me again," Arizona breathlessly implored.

There was a beat of silence in the room, no one moving or breathing before Callie giddily laughed aloud as she reached into her lab coat to pull out the same black box she had offered Arizona the night before. Getting down on one knee, she once again held the box out in front of her girlfriend.

"Arizona Robbins. . .love of my life, light of my world. . .I love you so much and nothing would make me happier than making you my wife. So, would you _please_ do me the honor of marrying me?" Callie asked for the second time in twenty-four hours. "And this time you better say _yes_, because it would be totally unbadass of me to have to ask again," she teasingly added as an afterthought.

Unable to stop the breathtaking smile or the tears of joy, Arizona enthusiastically nodded her head. "Yes! Yes, Calliope. . .a thousand times yes, I'll marry you," she happily cried.

Beaming back and with shaking hands, Callie effortlessly placed the diamond ring on Arizona's finger before standing up to catch Arizona as she threw herself into Callie's awaiting arms.

Simultaneous _I love yous_ were hastily whispered before both women joined their lips together for a long awaited kiss. Arms tightened around waists as they melded together. Arizona urgently opened her mouth, accepting Callie's tongue as it begged for entry as they both without shame moaned loudly into the room as the raw passion that they so often shared reignited between them. Hearts swelled as they continued to kiss, finally feeling like finally they were home. Pulling back breathlessly and with a tear stained face, Arizona cupped Callie's tanned cheeks. "I'm so sorry for how I spoke to you today. I love you, baby. . .so much. Please forgive me," Arizona whispered for Callie's ears only.

Wiping away her own tears of happiness, Callie waved off her apology, none of it mattering now. "Nothing to forgive at all. I get it. I just want to move forward, now. You're going to be my wife, and I. . .I am so happy. Thank you sweetie. . .so much," Callie whispered back before leaning back in to once again capture pink lips.

God how she'd missed kissing Arizona. She had the most inviting and soft lips of anyone she knew and every time they kissed she felt the stirring of the butterflies fluttering about in her stomach. Every single time they kissed felt like the first time.

Overcome with relief, but mostly insane happiness, Arizona allowed herself to get swept away by Callie. She poured everything into their kiss which continued to escalate the longer they held each other. Her hands moved to grab fistfuls of long brunette hair, and she held on for dear life, soaking up every touch, every caress, and every kiss that Callie bestowed upon her. Feeling Callie's hands surreptitiously move down her body to latch onto her backside, she ripped her mouth away with a quiet moan.

"Okay, ladies! That's enough. We're still in the room!" Bailey's voice cut through the haze of lust surrounding the newly engaged couple.

Pulling completely apart, breathless, chests heaving and both feeling the stirrings of arousal deep within themselves, they couldn't do anything but giggle into each other's shoulders as they embraced one another, neither able to get enough of being in each other's arms.

"I suppose we should spare them. I really don't want Bailey watching me feel you up," Callie murmured, cheekily winking at her girlfriend. . .no her _fiancé_.

"Mmmm, that sounds. . ._amazing_," Arizona replied, her libido now raging. It had been a while since they had shared a good make out session - groping included. She wanted nothing more than to throw Callie down onto the bed and make love to her. The emotions of the past week, the failed transplant, Callie leaving, the proposal, her parents arriving, and her own overwhelming emotions surrounding her health had all flown out the window as soon as she accepted Callie's second proposal, and now, she just wanted to lose herself in the woman she loved. She wanted to start immediately cherishing every moment she just promised her.

"Soon. I promise," Callie replied, placing a quick kiss to swollen lips before turning around to face the two person crowd of Miranda and Alex.

"We're getting married!" Callie exclaimed, laughing almost disbelievingly as she threw her hands up in the air in celebration. Arizona laughed beside her, her blue eyes holding that spark that had been missing over the past week.

"Well, no shit, Sherlock," Miranda answered with an eye roll before breaking out into a genuine smile. Opening her arms she gestured for Callie to hug her. "Get over here, you moron!" she joked.

With a hearty laugh, Callie took the couple of steps until she felt Miranda's arms wrap around her shoulders to hug her fiercely. She knew Bailey was her biggest supporter, and she was eternally grateful that she had stood by her this entire whole time.

"Well, aren't you going to offer your congratulations to _me_? After all you'll have to be my best man!" Arizona stated, shyly smiling at her best friend. She knew he was happy for her, he even encouraged her to rethink her original answer, but this was also pretty freaking huge news.

Smiling back, Alex shook his head. "I'm really happy for you, Arizona. I know she'll make you incredibly happy," he quietly offered as he moved to take Arizona into his arms. Hugging her tightly, he felt a swell of emotion bubble up within himself. He was happy for his friend. He could see that she had her sparkle back. He could see the weight of the world lifted from her shoulders. She was about to face her darkest days, and he had complete faith that Callie Torres was going to be the one to get her through it.

He knew that Arizona would, of course, still need him, but he also knew that he wasn't going to be the one she would now turn to for comfort, for reassurance. She was. . ._growing up_ in a sense, and yeah. . .it made him a little sad, but overall seeing how happy his best friend was, he couldn't begrudge her that. He would, if allowed, walk her down the aisle - or corridor - or stand up for her if that was what she wanted. But most of all, he would _share_ her. He would proudly give her away to Callie. He would love her, and he would be there right alongside her in her fight for life, in her pursuit of love, and in her journey of happiness.

* * *

_I'm not a sensitive kind of guy. I don't have a lot of beliefs or convictions. I'm not sure if I believe in God or a higher power, but one thing I do believe in is the importance of friendship, because in my lifetime, I've had the pleasure of having a best friend - a best friend named Arizona Robbins._

_Because of her presence in my life, I've come to see the importance of friendship as something that simply cannot be overstated. Friends are individuals who accept you as you are - with all of your strengths and all of your weaknesses. Friends see past your flaws and encourage you to be the best possible person you can be. With a true friend - a best friend - there is no need to impress. With that person, you can always be yourself. _

_A best friend sticks. A best friend is steadfast. Best friends help each other out. A best friend is there for you - in your corner - no matter what._

_Friendship. A relationship that is favorably disposed, inclined to approve, help, or support; attachment to another by affection, esteem, or personal regard._

_Friendship is a priceless gift that cannot be bought or sold. It is a relationship unlike any other. It is the greatest connection any two people can share, but sometimes the relationship between two friends has to be expanded - it has to morph and it has to change. _

_Now, I have to admit that I'm fairly overprotective and unwavering when it comes to my best friend, and for a while I wanted her all to myself, but I soon realized that I was being selfish. I realized that sometimes a friendship has to let others in. So, that's exactly what I did. I bent. I wavered because this person we allowed into our little club was more than just anyone. This person is the other half that makes my best friend whole. _

_I've talked a lot about soul mates lately with Arizona, and while I was skeptical at first, I've decided that if you are fortunate enough to meet a true soul mate in your lifetime - you have to grasp onto them and never let go. People always fall in love with the most perfect aspects of each other's personalities. Who wouldn't? Anyone can love the most wonderful parts of another person, but can you accept the flaws? Can you pledge your life to someone you know is dying? Because the good stuff is always going to be there, and it's always going to pretty and sparkly, but the crap underneath can ruin you._

_I once heard that life is like a ship. Some people get on and off board very easily. Some stay on board as long as everything is sailing smoothly, but when the rough weather comes, they abandon the ship. A soul mate, like a true friend is the one who will stick with you. . .forever. They will love you and support you and cherish you, and when you combine both of those - when you're lucky enough to have a best friend and a soul mate in your corner - no force, not even death, can harm you._

_I'm not sure who's in charge of where we go or what we do, but I do know that there is a master plan for all of our lives, and you are powerless to challenge it. For some reason, certain people are irrevocably drawn to others - you are placed together - for reasons beyond your control. You gravitate toward people as friends and as lovers, and when that happens, there is nothing in your power left to do. All you can do is just go with it, because this happens only rarely, but when it does - when you find a best friend and a soul mate - you become the richest and the luckiest person alive._

* * *

**AN2: **We hope you enjoyed this chapter, and we look forward to reading your comments and reviews. Thanks!


	11. Chapter 9

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

* * *

_**Chapter Nine**_

* * *

Gazing at her reflection in the large bathroom mirror in the luxurious honeymoon suite of the Archfield Hotel, Arizona nervously smoothed the silk fabric of the cerulean nightgown she was wearing. Glancing down her body, she scrutinized herself - noting that the loss of weight made her appearance gaunt and thin, once toned muscle now atrophied from the cancer and the life-sustaining chemo treatments she had been receiving.

Blowing out a shaky breath, she straightened the matching scarf that adorned her head before glancing down at the bands of white gold and diamonds that now encircled her left ring finger. Smiling down at them, a wave of giddiness consumed her as she thought back on the beautiful private wedding ceremony that had occurred only two hours prior.

How Callie had managed to put it all together in just two short weeks was beyond her, but she was sure that her parents, Miranda, and Alex had helped immensely. Closing her eyes, she could still see the chocolate orbs of her love staring back at her as they spoke their vows under a rustic arbor sat atop the hill overlooking the city of Seattle where Callie had taken her on their first "date".

Opening her eyes, Arizona quickly blinked as a tear of joy streaked down her face. If someone had told her five months ago that she would now be married to a hot brunette with magical eyes or that her own oncologist would be the one to officiate the ceremony as her parents and best friend looked on, she would have told them that they were full of it - that they were completely nuts. However, here she now stood in a hotel room, not a hospital room thanks also to her amazing wife, as said wife anxiously awaited her exit from the bathroom so that they could properly begin celebrating their union as a married couple.

A quiet knock pulled Arizona from her silent reverie.

"Sweetie? You okay in there?" Callie called through the wooden barrier of the door.

Once again glancing down her body, Arizona cleared her throat. "Uh. . .yeah, babe. I'll be out in just a sec."

Nodding her head, Callie stepped back from the door before taking a seat on the foot of the king size bed, nervously fidgeting with the new rings that now adorned her left hand. They may have been new to her, but they were in fact close to seventy-five years old, a vintage one and a half carat European cut diamond engagement ring with matching wedding band that her now father-in law's father had given to his mother in 1939, two years before his death during the invasion of Pearl Harbor. Reflecting on the fact that she now wore such a sentimental and important item to the Robbins family made tears brim in her eyes, her heart swelling with love and adoration for the youngest of the family whom she now called her wife.

Hearing the lock click and the bathroom door swing open, Callie glanced up, quickly wiping at her eyes. Seeing the sight now standing before her, a megawatt grin covered her features as Arizona stepped closer to her. "Holy mother. . ." she breathlessly trailed off, at a complete loss for words.

Arizona stepped forward, giggling at the Latina's reaction before pulling at the length of her gown so that she could straddle her wife, her knees on either side of her curvaceous hips. "You like?" she coyly asked, tipping her head to the side.

Callie nodded, her hands sliding down the smooth fabric covering her wife's hips before moving back upward to settle against her rounded bottom. "I _love_," she corrected, leaning forward to capture pink lips with her own.

Pulling away from moist plump lips when oxygen became necessary, Arizona tucked a wayward raven lock behind Callie's ear, her gaze dropping from her face into the lacy scalloped neckline of the black nightgown covering her drop dead gorgeous body.

"Do _you _like?" Callie coyly asked, one eyebrow quirking as she smiled at her new wife whose gaze still had not left the cavern of her cleavage.

Arizona finally ripped her attention back up to her new bride's face, humming in response. "Mmmm. . .you already know I do," she replied with a seductive laugh. Getting lost in Callie's eyes, she gently smoothed her hand over a caramel cheek, across her chin, and then down the Latina's neck and chest before dipping a finger in between voluptuous breasts. "Can you believe we're _married_?" she asked in a sultry whisper.

Callie smiled, slowly nodding her head. "I _can_. . .and right now, if it's okay with _her_, I'd really like to make love to my new wife. You know. . .make it official," she said with a wink.

Moving from her lap, Arizona stood in front of her, before reaching out her hand to pull her into standing. Entwining their fingers, she led Callie around the bed before climbing in to rest her head atop fluffy down pillows. Quickly joining her, the Latina stretched out to face her before leaning in to lay a gentle kiss against an ivory cheek.

Arizona quickly turned her head so that their lips met, slow burning passion rising between them as they lovingly kissed and explored each other's bodies with their roaming hands and wandering lips. Arizona sucked a plump bottom lip into her mouth before moving down the smooth caramel skin of Callie's neck to nip, kiss, and lick the sensitive area. Instinctively, Callie closed her eyes and tilted her head back, moaning loudly as she leaned harder into her wife's mouth. The heat of those lips excited and at the same time soothed her. "I want you," the Latina moaned. "Oh my God, I want you."

Arizona made her way back up to Callie's mouth, slowly brushing her lips back and forth over her wife's, until Callie slid her arms around her neck and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Swiping her tongue against pink lips, the Latina pressed them apart with her tongue, slowly sliding it into Arizona's mouth. Letting her hands slowly slide down Arizona's shoulders, then over her breasts and down her stomach, Callie played over her slender form, drawing sighs and shivers from her lover. Her hands cupped Arizona's perfect breasts as her thumbs brushed across sensitive lacy covered nipples.

With a pleasing whimper, Arizona broke the kiss and once again started applying her mouth down Callie's neck and over her shoulders, but after a few intoxicating moments, the Latina pulled her back up to her mouth to kiss her deeply. There was just something about kissing Arizona Robbins that she couldn't get enough of. Her kisses were intoxicating. They were erotic. They were life-affirming. They sent shivers down her spine and electricity pulsing to her center.

Reluctantly pulling away from those provocative lips, Callie trailed wet kisses across Arizona's face before suckling at her earlobe. "You're so beautiful," she breathlessly whispered in her wife's ear.

Arizona sighed, lacing her fingers with Callie's hand that rested on her hip. "So are you," she softly replied. "I love you, Callie."

Without hesitation, Callie rolled on top of her wife, careful not to press too much weight against her smaller form. Gazing down into slightly weary blue eyes, she was certain she'd never before felt so aroused, so alive. Bunching the fabric of Arizona's nightie around her waist, Callie's hand caressed a slim hip before coming to rest at the top of her inner thigh. "I want to make love to you all night long," the Latina husked in a sultry whisper.

Arizona's body arched as she swallowed hard at the overwhelming sensation of her wife's hand being so close to where she longed for it to be, her head beginning to spin. Slowing the movement of her hand over Callie's back, she quickly pulled away from her wife in order to catch her breath. Sensing the slight change in Arizona's body, from pliant and yielding to rigid and almost tentative, the Latina opened her eyes to find her lips pursed as she blew out a breath before shakily inhaling through her nose. "Arizona? Are you okay?" she nervously questioned.

Arizona nodded her head, but didn't speak, concentrating on the pursed lip breathing she was practicing in an attempt to keep the dizziness that suddenly overcame her at bay. When her world finally stopped spinning, she slowly opened her eyes to see concerned brown ones gazing down upon her. As Callie's hand move from her thigh, Arizona's mouth fell agape. "What. . ."

Callie cut her off by leaning in to press a light kiss against her lips. Lightly stroking her hand down her wife's face, Callie regarded her with all the love in the world. "You're tired, babe."

Arizona adamantly shook her head. "No. No, I-I just needed. . .a moment. Your kisses are _mind blowing_, Calliope," she tried to tease, but could tell her wife didn't buy it. She already knew her too well. "I'm fine. Really," she hopefully added.

Callie straightened her gown before pushing silken fabric back down to cover Arizona's hips. "I know you're fine, sweetie. . .but you're tired. Today was a _crazy_ day. You had chemo this morning and then the wedding. It's okay, Arizona. Really. We don't have to do this tonight. We're married now. We have all the time in the world to make love."

Arizona once again closed her eyes, attempting to fend off a new wave of dizziness as well as unwanted tears that now threatened to fall down her cheeks. "I want this, Callie. I want _you_. Please," she practically begged, hesitantly opening her eyes as a yawn emanated from her mouth. Reaching up to quickly try to conceal it, a pink blush tinged her cheeks.

Callie smiled as she kissed her beautiful new wife's forehead. Gathering her in her arms, she carefully maneuvered her so that her head was resting against her chest before pulling the thick duvet up over their bodies. "I want this, too, babe. But, for now. . .I want to feel you fall asleep in my arms on our wedding night. . .in a place where we aren't surrounded by prying eyes and beeping machines."

Arizona groaned in frustration, reluctant to agree. But, as her eyelids began to heavily droop, she couldn't help but resign herself to the fact that perhaps tonight wasn't the most opportune time. She wanted to be present for their first time - and every time after that - not exhausted and feeling ill. So, with a heavy sigh, she leaned upward, her eyes locking with chocolate brown ones as her hand smoothed over Callie's cheek. "Are you sure you're okay with all of _this_?" she asked, motioning her hand up in down, regarding herself. "This-this isn't really what you signed up for."

Callie nodded her head as she leaned in to place a warm kiss against moist lips. "_This_ is exactly what I signed up for, and you're stuck with me now. I want nothing more than to be your wife. Nothing more than to fall asleep with you cradled in my arms. Nothing more than to wake up tomorrow with your breath against my neck," she honestly replied. "So stop asking stuff like that, okay?"

Arizona didn't say a word. The tone of Callie's voice was just so sincere, so heartfelt, and so genuine that she felt a swell of emotion overtake her mind, body, and soul. Finally relenting, she rolled onto her side, with her back against her wife's chest. As they shifted and moved, Callie's legs perfectly tangled together with Arizona's. Pressing her front further into the warmth of her wife's back, Callie's arm possessively wrapped around her waist, their bodies seemingly melding into one. As she nuzzled her nose into the nape of Arizona's neck, Callie was amazed at how their bodies fit together like the pieces of a puzzle.

Content to listen to her wife's breath even out as she gave in to slumber, Callie sighed as she soothingly caressed the length of Arizona's arm. "I love you, baby," she whispered against her slender shoulder. "And I'm going to find a way to fix you."

* * *

The following morning, with a mammoth lump in her throat and trying mightily to hold back tears, Arizona found saying goodbye to her parents a lot harder than she had initially anticipated. Glancing to Callie who sat next to her on the edge of her bed, she reached out to grasp her hand for support.

It was Arizona's choice to encourage them to go back home, knowing that she wouldn't be able to fight every day while her mother sat around fussing over her with those light green eyes full of sympathy and heartache, while her father stoically stood by talking to her about honor and strength and how she was supposed to brave like they had raised her to be.

She loved her parents - adored and respected them - but she'd chosen to ask them to go back home because she knew that she wouldn't be able to handle having them there with her every single day. She knew it sounded awful because she truly did love being around them, but she wanted to protect them. They'd already lost one child, and she desperately didn't want them to have to sit by and watch another fade away. They'd fought her every step of the way the day before when she had brought it up, and she was now sure that they had only conceded because it was her wedding day, and they didn't want to upset her or cause a scene.

Whatever the reason was, the time had now come to say goodbye, and her emotions were threatening to overtake her. Yes, she'd asked them to leave, but it didn't mean that she wouldn't miss them. It didn't mean that she wouldn't miss her mother's hugs, because nothing in the world compared to being in her mother's arms even at thirty years of age. It didn't mean she wouldn't miss the way her father looked at her with that twinkle in his own baby blues, like she was still the apple of his eye.

She would miss them greatly, but she knew if they stayed, she would find the fight to survive that much more difficult. She was barely handling her own grief - along with Callie and Alex's - and they were hardly showing any outward signs. With her parents, though, it showed every day, particularly on her mother's face that was laced with fear as her father tried his best to hide what he was feeling.

"Are you sure, Arizona? Because we don't mind staying, do we Daniel?" Barbara Robbins asked for the fifth time in the span of about a minute, glancing toward her husband anxiously imploring him to speak.

"Barbara. . .we talked about this," he replied in a monotone voice. He wanted to leave his sick daughter no more than his wife did, but Arizona had been so adamant that it was difficult to deny her request.

"I know we did, Daniel! I haven't lost my memory! How can you be okay with leaving our baby girl? How?!" the older woman shrieked, her emotions springing forth.

Arizona anxiously glanced between her parents. "Mom! That's enough. It's not Dad's fault. It's nobody's fault, and we talked about this. . ._a lot_. Please. . .please don't make this harder than it has to be. It's hard enough as it is," Arizona softly implored.

Seeing his wife cry even after all these years tugged at Daniels heartstrings. He wasn't exactly thrilled about his daughter asking them to go back home but he understood Arizona's reasons. He also believed he understood his daughter in a way that his wife could not. Arizona was built more like him - she was able to control her emotions better, see the bigger picture, and protect the things she loved.

It was in her blood. It was who he had raised her to be.

Still though, he thought perhaps it was worth one more try, especially as Barbara was currently so upset that she was clinging onto Arizona almost dislodging the poor girl from her bed. "Are you sure you want us to leave, Arizona?" he cautiously questioned. "We don't mind staying. I have contacts here from the Marines. They could find us a place nearby so we would be on standby if you needed us."

Rolling her eyes at her father's words, Arizona shook her head. "No, Daddy. Thank you, though," she gratefully insisted. "Remember what you said to me? About living in the now? About not having regrets?" Arizona waited for her father's nod before continuing. "Well, that's what I am doing. I want to spend my time with Callie, living in the now. I don't want to waste another minute, and it's not that I don't love you guys, because I do. . .so much, but I can't have you two here fussing over me. Reminding me that I'm sick. I don't want to be the. . ._sick daughter_. Please understand that. Please."

Swallowing the lump in his own throat, Daniel took a deep breath before resolutely nodding his head. He'd never felt more proud of his daughter than in this moment. Stepping forward and physically removing his wife from his daughter, he leaned in and hugged her tightly, cherishing the way Arizona's small but strong arms wrapped around his shoulders. "I love you, pumpkin. . .and I'm so proud of you. Always remember that," he shakily whispered.

Losing her battle with the tears that had been threatening to fall all morning long, Arizona held on tighter. This was her daddy - the man whom she'd idolized growing up - who taught her right from wrong. The man who taught her what honor and loyalty meant, not to mention the man who taught her to hit hard and hit fast so she only had to hit once. "I love you, too, Daddy. So much," Arizona whispered back as her father disentangled himself before patting her on the shoulder and walking over to stand next to Alex who had been silently watching the scene from the doorway.

Turning to her mother who was crying a river of tears, Arizona didn't even bother to wipe the streaks of moisture from her own face. Opening her arms for her mother to fall into them, she caught her in a strong embrace when she did. Apart from Callie, Arizona had never had the pleasure of knowing such an amazing woman. Her mother was the person who hugged her as a child when she cried - who cleaned up her cuts and bruises - who taught her how to be proud of who she was. She was at every single graduation, celebration, and milestone. She was the best mother in the world, and Arizona she knew if one day she could become half the woman her mother was then she would have achieved something great. "I love you, Mom. And this isn't goodbye. It's. . .see you later, okay?" Arizona insisted into her mother's shoulder.

Still crying, Barbara pulled back. "You'll call. And text. Every day. We want to know how you're doing. . .and when. . .you want us to come back," Barbara sobbed.

"Of course, I will. I promise. Now go, or you'll miss your flight. Text me when you land, okay?" Arizona said, her voice breaking, her heart torn in half.

"Oh, I love you, my baby girl. We both love you so much," the elder Robbins female cried, leaning in for one more embrace.

Moments later, Daniel, Barbara, and Alex, who was driving the elder Robbins to the airport, moved toward the exit of the room. Sensing her new wife's need for support, Callie climbed up onto the bed, situating herself behind her. With sad smiles on their faces, her parents hesitantly turned to leave. "I love you," Arizona called out before watching her parents and best friend disappear out the door and down the hallway.

With Callie's arms wrapped around her from behind, they both waved the couple goodbye before Arizona collapsed back into Callie's embrace as heart wrenching sobs echoed around the small hospital room.

"It's okay, baby. You can cry. Just let it out. I've got you," Callie cooed as Arizona's small frame shook within her arms.

It hurt Callie's heart to see her wife so broken up about her parents' departure. They'd spoken about it together, and Callie had agreed to support Arizona in whatever she chose to do. The Latina understood why Arizona wanted her parents to fly back home, and a very small, selfish part of herself had wanted them to go too, because she couldn't deny that she wanted Arizona to herself. She wanted as much time with her as possible. The other more rational part of her worried that, while Arizona had valid reasons for wanting them to leave, after a while she might come to regret her decision, but then again, they were only a phone call or a quick flight away, and in the meantime, Callie would be there for whatever her wife needed.

"They dr-drive me crazy most of the time, but I. . .I'm going to miss them so much," Arizona cried as she clung to her wife's scrub top.

Cradling Arizona close to her, Callie gently caressed her silken scarf covered head, kissing her temple as her other hand rubbed soothing circles against the small of her back. "I know, sweetie, but you can call them anytime you want and-and. . .when. . .the time comes that you might want them to come back, then you know they'll be here in an instant."

Arizona only nodded into her wife's chest as she continued to quietly cry. The way Callie held her, the small kisses she placed wherever she could reach, the feel of her hand rubbing her back all helped to stem the flow of tears until she was only sniffling instead of sobbing her heart out. "You're right, and I needed them to go. . .for now, but I just miss them. . . already," she softly admitted.

"I know, baby. I know."

Sinking back into the bed, Callie watched as Arizona's breath started to even out, her tears finally abating. Smiling to herself, she coaxed her wife to lie against her chest as she began to make herself comfortable. Arizona was clearly in need of some rest, and Callie was very much up for taking a little nap with her new bride.

Just as she was making herself comfortable, the blaring of her pager blasted through the room, causing not only herself, but Arizona to jump nearly a mile into the air.

"Noooooo!" Arizona whined as she immediately locked her arms around the Latina's waist, wholeheartedly refusing to let her go.

Chuckling softly, Callie managed to reach down to grab the annoying device before groaning aloud. "Sorry, babe. 911 to the pit. I have to go."

Arizona's bottom lip immediately shot out in a pout. "But, I want to sleep with you," she grumbled even as she sat up so Callie could move out from under her.

"Arizona _Robbins-Torres_! I am a professional! I do _not_ partake in such. . ._activities_ while at the workplace," Callie teased in a voice that Arizona thought scarily mirrored Miranda Bailey's.

Blushing and swatting at her wife, Arizona stuck out her tongue. "That is so not what I meant, Calliope _Torres-Robbins_, and you know it! And don't for a second think I would believe that, anyway! This right here darlin', says otherwise!" Arizona cheekily drawled with a wink as she pulled the neck of her loose t-shirt down to reveal a hickey just below her left clavicle that Callie had made two days ago while in that very same bed.

Blushing crimson, Callie shyly ducked her head, though when she raised it again, Arizona swore she could see a hint of smug pride plastered on those tanned features. "Didn't hear you complaining," she fired back as she pulled on her lab coat and adjusted her scrubs. "Sorry, baby. I really do have to go, but I'll be back as soon as possible. Okay?" she sincerely added as she leaned in, planting a goodbye kiss on an ivory cheek.

As her wife approached the door, Arizona's eyes drifted to the curve of her hips then back up her body. "Go be a rock star! I love you!" she called as Callie rushed from the room, leaving her all alone and with nothing to do.

* * *

Not long after Callie's departure, Arizona found herself lazily flicking through the channels of the small television in her room. It had only been fifteen minutes since Calliope was paged away, but Arizona missed her already. One day into her marriage, and she was already whipped!

"Pathetic, Robbins! Get a grip!" she mumbled to herself.

Throwing the remote onto the bed, she aimlessly looked around the small room, her boredom increasing. Suddenly, without any warning, her hand flew to her mouth as she felt her stomach churn. Lurching forward, the crisp white sheet falling around her waist she hastily reached for the plastic container on the cabinet beside her bed, because there was absolutely no way she was going to make it to the bathroom in time. Sure enough the moment she took her hand away she felt her stomach convulse and her throat burn as bile and vomit forced their way out of her mouth.

Tears immediately forming in her eyes due to the violent contractions of her body, Arizona loudly groaned when her body allowed a brief reprieve. Bringing a shaky hand up to her mouth, she wiped away the remnants of vomit, shuddering at the mess she'd made. Moving to sit up, she regretted her motion as before she knew it, she was dry heaving, her abdomen tightening and contracting every time she opened her mouth.

"Robbins! Are you alright?" Miranda asked as she hastily rushed into the room to find her patient retching over a small emesis basin.

Arizona looked up with watery bloodshot eyes as she spat into the tub. "J-just freaking p-peachy, Bailey. . ." Arizona grumbled, feeling light headed as she slowly moved her legs to the side of the bed to sit up.

Miranda reached out to steady her patient, a gentle hand resting on her shoulder as she watched Arizona close her eyes in an attempt to fend off the dizziness that consumed her. "Here. Let me take this and get you cleaned up," she offered. "Unless you think you're going to need it again?"

Shaking her head no, Arizona handed over the container before slumping back onto the bed. She could feel a light sheen of sweat on her forehead, her body clammy and shivering. Just another small reminder of the disease and the treatment that were slowly attacking her body. Finally opening her eyes, she stared out ahead of her, briefly wondering if this was how she felt now, how would it be for her in a month or two?

Noticing the faraway look in her patient's eyes, Miranda had a good idea of what her best friend's wife was thinking. "Don't think about it. I'll give you some Phenergan. That should help, but it might be a rough couple of weeks. Hopefully, in between chemo cycles, you'll get a reprieve," she kindly stated as she offered a wet washcloth for Arizona to wipe her clammy face.

Slowly cleaning herself off, Arizona distractedly nodded. She knew this was her reality, and she hated it, but she needed to try and focus on the positive side of things. She needed to think about Callie. Carefully considering her words, she hoped her doctor would understand. "I don't want Calliope to find out about this, so maybe if you could please not mention this to her. . ." she quietly requested as she watched Miranda pull out her stethoscope.

Holding her finger up, indicating for her patient to be quiet, Miranda listened to her heart, took her blood pressure and checked her pulse. When she seemed satisfied by the results, she pulled a chair over to sit down, looking inquisitively at Arizona. "You. Want me. To lie to Callie? _My_ best friend, and _your_ wife about you being sick. Why on earth would I do that, Robbins?" Miranda inquired, her eyebrows drawn together in a tight line.

"Because I asked you to and because you are _my_ doctor and under HIPAA laws, you have to abide by what I ask. Haven't you ever heard of doctor patient confidentiality, Dr. Bailey?" Arizona stiffly questioned. If Bailey wasn't going to agree, then Arizona wasn't against playing hardball. This was her choice and her wishes, and her doctor had no choice but to respect that.

"Ah. . .but you're married now. Callie is your wife, and I assume you Medical Power of Attorney. She has every right to know what's going on," Miranda sharply replied.

"Bailey!" Arizona snapped, her temper starting to boil. Why the Hell was her doctor making this so hard? "We might be married, but you are _my_ doctor not Callie's, and I'm telling you specifically not to mention this to her," Arizona harshly finished.

Seeing that Arizona was starting to get upset, Miranda just shook her head. "You're making a mistake Robbins. A big one."

Feeling her frustration mount, Arizona rolled her eyes. "Is there anything else you need, Dr. Bailey?"

"I was just checking on another patient, so I thought I'd take you to your chemo session," Miranda replied, slightly surprised that Arizona had forgotten.

Arizona's face fell as her eyes dropped shut. "Oh, right. Sorry. Long day. I guess I forgot. You don't have to take me, though. I can get there on my own," she dejectedly replied, now feeling uncomfortable after basically yelling at Miranda.

Miranda huffed aloud. "Don't be stupid, Arizona. Let's go," she insisted, offering a hand to help her into the wheelchair she'd brought with her. Arizona hated using the wheelchair, but it was hospital policy, and the fact that she didn't put up a fight, suggested to the doctor that her patient was truly feeling lousy and lacking in energy. Taking the handles of the chair, she silently directed them out of the room toward their destination.

* * *

An hour after leaving her wife's room, Callie found herself rushing back toward room 1614. She'd been called into an emergency surgery, but unfortunately forty-five minutes into the procedure, the patient had coded, and they hadn't been able to save him. It was something she still wasn't used to, but was getting better at, knowing that if she let every death affect her, she would never be able to work.

Picking up her pace, she wondered how pathetic she was for missing Arizona so much after only an hour separation. It was like now that they were married, she couldn't bear to be apart from her wife for more than a few minutes. Not that she enjoyed being away from her before, but now things just somehow felt different, and if that made her pathetic, then she was perfectly okay with that.

Smiling like a lunatic she waltzed into her wife's room. "Hey ba. . ." she trailed off when she realized the room was vacant.

Frowning, she curiously looked around the empty space before pulling her phone from her pocket to check it for any missed messages. Normally Arizona would text or call if she was going to be out of her room, but nothing had come through. Pouting a little, she turned on her heel, walking back out of the room in search of her missing wife.

A few minutes later, Callie quietly entered the infusion center, spotting familiar faces as she looked around the room, but not seeing the one ivory skinned beauty she longed for. She didn't remember Arizona having a treatment today, but then again, the last couple weeks had been pretty crazy, and yesterday's celebration had admittedly chased everything else out of her mind.

Making her way through the large room toward the spot Arizona always chose to sit in, she stopped abruptly when she heard what sounded like her wife and best friend engaged in a heated discussion. Not wanting to look suspicious, but intrigued by what Arizona and Bailey could possibly be arguing about, Callie pulled out her phone, pretending to be busy, but all the while listening carefully to the conversation happening behind the closed curtain.

Inside the curtained area, Arizona rolled her eyes as her doctor kept pressing the issue. "Bailey, I already told you I don't want to hear it!" Arizona snapped, desperately wishing she was back in her room wrapped tightly in Callie's embrace, not stuck here getting drugs pumped into her body with Miranda Bailey incessantly nagging at her.

Miranda glared at her patient. "All I'm saying is. . .you can't hide this from her forever. You're sick Arizona. Callie isn't an idiot. She knows the symptoms, and wouldn't it make more sense to let her help you, instead of pretending you're fine when clearly you aren't?" she adamantly stated.

Steely blue eyes met dark chocolate ones glare for glare. "No! What would make more sense, is me continuing to protect my wife. Why can't you see that? Calliope doesn't need to be cleaning up my vomit or stopping my nose from bleeding. She shouldn't have to change my clothes in the middle of the night when I wake up soaked in sweat. I want to be her wife, Bailey. Not her patient. . .and she _needs_ me to be that for her. She needs someone who can make her happy. She needs a wife, a partner, a lover. . .and that's what I'm going to be!"

"Arizona. . ."

Holding up a hand, Arizona shook her head. "Please, Bailey. Please. It's not a big deal. I was sick. . .but now I'm fine. If - _when_ it gets worse, I promise I'll talk to her, but for now, I just want to _enjoy_ being with her without the damn leukemia getting in the way," Arizona insisted, her tone almost begging.

Miranda skeptically studied her patient. Letting out an exaggerated sigh, she shook her head. "Fine. It's your choice. But for the record, I think you're a moron," she stiffly stated, flopping down onto the rolling stool next to her.

"Duly noted."

Stomach twisting and churning, Callie swallowed hard in an attempt to keep down the contents of her stomach. Hearing Arizona's impassioned plea to Miranda to hide the fact that she was ill, made her feel terrible. She was very aware that her best friend and girlfriend thought she was crazy _and_ that she was in denial over Arizona's prognosis, but that didn't mean she wanted the blonde to hide things from her. She didn't need Arizona to protect her when she should be the one protecting her.

Shaking her head in an attempt to rid her mind of the unpleasant thoughts that now resided there, she quickly reminded herself that it didn't matter.

Arizona was going to be fine.

Plastering a smile on her face, she yanked back the brightly colored curtain. "Hey, you!" she greeted.

Startling in surprise, Arizona initially appeared guilty, but then couldn't stop the smile that tugged at her lips at the arrival of her beautiful wife. "Hey, babe. You. . .you're finished with your surgery? Already?" she asked as the Latina leaned in for a quick kiss.

Pulling back, Callie nodded her head, opting to forgo the tale of her failed attempt at saving her patient's life. She vehemently wanted to keep as many negative vibes as possible out of their already deflating bubble. "I. . .uh. . .I forgot about your session, today," she replied, taking a seat in vacant chair next to her wife.

Arizona nodded her head, aware of Callie's change of subject. "Yeah, I actually did, too. Bailey had to remind me," she admitted, motioning toward her doctor with a shaky hand and fixing her with a strained smile.

Smiling stiffly, Miranda acknowledged the smile Callie sent her way before standing up and excusing herself. "I have patients. I'll see you later, Torres. Robbins. . ."

Callie remained silent as she watched her friend make a hasty exit out of the curtain area. Glancing back at her wife, she skeptically regarded her, pondering what to say. "Everything okay?" she chose to ask, already knowing exactly what Arizona's answer would be.

Smiling brightly and leaning in for another kiss, Arizona fisted her hands into the material of her wife's lab coat. Leaning back only slightly, she tipped her head to the side as she stared into magical brown eyes. "Everything is perfectly fine, now that you're here," she replied as she nuzzled her nose against the caramel skin of her wife's cheek. With a goofy smile on her face, she finally pulled completely away. "Actually. . .now that you're here, there's one thing you could do for me?" she sweetly asked.

Callie's eyebrows rose in question as she gave Arizona a curious glance, recognizing that mischievous look on her wife's face and the twinkle in those bright blue eyes. "What is it?" she warily asked.

Arizona reached forward to pull open the curtain. "I want you to meet some of my friends."

"Honey, I already _know_ Alex," Callie teased.

Shooting Callie a mock glare, Arizona stuck out her tongue. "Hardy har har, Calliope." Looking around the room, she regarded the other patients around her. "Everybody, guess what!" she said into the room, catching the attention of the surrounding occupants. "I'm a bride!" she sang out, waving her hand in the air, showing off the beautiful ring Callie had placed on her finger the day before.

Upon hearing a beaming Arizona's announcement, everyone broke out into applause while a blush rose on Callie's chest and cheeks. Reaching for her new wife's hand, Arizona entwined their fingers, loving the way their rings moved against each other. "Everybody, this is Calliope, my wife," Arizona stated, absolutely loving that she was able to call the Latina her wife. "Wife, this is Austin, Star, Meg, Miguel, and Alison."

Callie only smiled at everyone as they all waved at her in greeting.

"Can you turn her around, so we can see the butt?" Alison, the woman to Callie's right, asked.

Arizona expectantly regarded her wife. "Yes, Calliope. . ."

Callie looked shocked, doing a double take. "What? Are you kidding me?"

Realizing the need to be a bit crafty, Arizona's eyes widened as she glanced behind her. "Oh! Big trauma just came in. . ." she faked and just as expected, Callie couldn't help but turn toward where she was looking, giving not only herself, but everyone else in the room a good look at her fine backside.

"That's quality booty!" Alison piped up, smiling at Arizona.

Laughing out loud, Arizona nodded with a huge smile on her face. "Right?"

"Congratulations, Arizona," Alison replied.

Arizona giggled as Callie turned back around realizing she had just been had. "Thank you!"

Blushing, but laughing it off because it made her heart smile to see Arizona so happy, Callie leaned in as close as possible. "You, are trouble!"

"You better believe it!" Arizona joked back with a wink.

* * *

Later that evening, staring down at her iPad at the game of _Words with Friends _she had been engaged in with her mother for most of the day, Arizona worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she scanned the screen for a word to play. Glancing up when she heard the familiar yelp of a puppy, her brow furrowed when she tried to place the noise accompanying it.

Wheels against the tiled hospital floor?

As she continued to stare at the empty doorway, her question was quickly answered as _Little Guy _scrambled into her room followed closely behind by her gorgeous wife, free arm loaded with a blue dog bed and dish as she tugged wheeled luggage behind her.

As usual, the puppy jumped into Arizona's lap as she questioningly stared at her smiling wife. "Wh-what are you doing, Calliope?" she softly implored.

Callie's smile grew wider as she set several items on the floor before removing a duffel bag from her shoulder. "I'm moving in with my wife, silly," she simply stated. "Is that okay?"

Arizona's mouth fell open in surprise as she watched Callie hoist her suitcase up onto the small dresser in the corner of the room. "B-but. . .is that okay? I mean, is that allowed?" she questioned, her hand absentmindedly running through the hair at the back of the dog's neck."

Callie turned from her task, moving across the room to sit next to her wife. "I may or may not have sold my soul to this hospital and Dr. Miranda Bailey in order to make this happen, but I don't care. There's no way I'm spending one night away from you, Arizona. You're my wife, and wives live together."

"But this is a hospital, Callie. It's a very small room with very little space. I could never ask you to. . ."

Callie hastily pressed her index finger against pink lips. "I didn't hear you ask me to do anything," she coyly replied. Noting the seriousness etched on her wife's face, she sobered slightly, leaning over the puppy in Arizona's lap to lay a gentle kiss against those wondrous lips. "I love you more than anything, Arizona. And wherever you are, I'm going to be. That's how this works."

Arizona's eyes brimmed with tears as she listened to Callie's words. The events of the past two days had been overwhelming and the sincerity and adoration a she heard in Callie's every word caused such a swell of emotion deep inside her that she couldn't stop the tears from dripping down her face. "Thank you, Callie," she softly replied with a nod of her head.

"Anything for you, babe. Anything," she insisted as she leaned forward to once again cover pink lips with her own. But before she could reach her destination the noxious sound of her pager filled the room. Groaning at the sound, Callie moved from the bed to pull the device from her earlier discarded purse. "Damn it."

"I didn't think you were on call tonight," Arizona muttered, a pout forming on her lips.

Callie shook her head. "I'm not," she replied. "Probably some defective intern paging me when they should be paging Dr. Chang. Let me check this out really quick, and I'll be right back," she offered, leaning in for a quick goodbye smooch. "Will you be okay with _Little_ _Guy_ until I get back?"

Arizona waved her off. "Go. We'll be fine. . . .and when you get back, we're giving him a name."

Callie chuckled softly as she moved toward the door, turning around at the last second to blow her wife a kiss before disappearing down the hallway.

"What are we going to do with you, hmmm?" Arizona questioned aloud as she looked at the puppy on her lap with its little tail wagging gleefully back and forth.

The only response she got was a cute little bark, a wet tongue lapping at her face. "Ewww," she giggled as he jumped on her and started licking every inch of her face.

Laughing at his antics, she egged the puppy on, sure that if Bailey came in, she'd be in a world of trouble, but not really caring. Too soon though, in the middle of teasing him, her laughter abruptly ceased as she tasted the now all too familiar metallic taste of blood in her mouth. Cursing aloud, she set _Little Guy _on the floor, making the small trek to the bathroom. Once inside she grabbed a washcloth, holding it to her face as the slow trickle of blood soaked into the cloth. Cursing the sentence she has been handed down, she removed the cloth once the bleeding had stopped before studying her reflection in the mirror, taking note of her pale complexion, sunken eyes, and the smear of blood across her face.

For a fleeting moment, she wished the leukemia had taken her life when she was first diagnosed - before she had the chance to meet the woman of her dreams, before she could get married, before she could have the chance to envision a life of happiness - because as she slowly continued to wipe away the bloody evidence, she couldn't help but cringe at fact that the hardest part was yet to come.

This was just another reminder that the wonderful life she had managed to create with Calliope could only last for so long, and for her, that was more excruciatingly painful than any other symptom she would ever have to bear.

* * *

"This is nice," Callie murmured later that night as she cuddled next to her wife.

Callie had only been away for less than thirty minutes after being paged, barely enough time for Arizona to clean herself up from her nose bleed and hide the evidence. Since then, they had spent an enjoyable evening shamelessly making out and eating Arizona's favorite take-out that Alex had brought in for them both, but most of all, just enjoying each other's company.

Now though, night had fallen and exhaustion had taken its toll on both the new wives. "It is. . .and not that I'm complaining because I love having your arms around me, but are we really going to do this forever? Don't you think this bed is a little small?" Arizona teased.

"Well if you feel that way about it, I can just go home," Callie huffed.

Arizona reached behind her to swat her pouting wife's hip. "I love it, Callie. Being here with you makes me feel so safe," she replied with a yawn from her position as the little spoon. "I'm just saying we might need a bigger bed."

Callie chuckled into her wife's neck. "I'm glad you feel safe, babe. I want you to always feel safe with me, because I'm always going to be here. . .protecting you," she whispered as her eyelids started to droop. "And I'll see what I can do about a bigger bed."

Arizona shivered at the sensation of the Latina's breath against her neck and shoulder. "Goodnight, baby," she stated, her voice slurring as sleep took hold.

"I love you, sweetie. Sweet dreams, my love," Callie mumbled, nearly incoherently as finally she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Hours later, in the dead of the night, Arizona bolted upright, slightly disoriented. Feeling something heavy over her midsection, she looked to her left to see Callie quietly snoozing beside her.

Drenched in sweat, her cotton pajamas clinging to her body, she instantly jumped from the bed, sprinting as quietly as possible to the bathroom. Closing the door behind her, she practically threw herself down on the cold floor, knees stinging as they harshly made contact with the tiles.

Throwing up the toilet lid, barely a second passed before her abdomen tightened, forcing its contents from where it belonged into the commode. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she moaned in pain as her stomach once again violently contracted.

Thankful that this time her nausea and vomiting only lasts for few minutes, she carefully sat back on the floor. Her stomach felt sore and queasy, her head aching as she reached up to flush the toilet. Scooting back to lean against the wall, the cool surface momentarily soothed her as a long winded breath escaped her mouth.

With tears prickling at her eyes, she found herself angry at the unfairness of it all. She was married to the most beautiful woman in the world, and that woman sleeping in her bed, while she sat on the desolate bathroom floor of a hospital where she was fighting for her life.

In the space of a couple weeks, she had experienced numerous nose bleeds and bouts of vomiting, which were becoming harder and harder to conceal. She wanted to hide it for as long as she possibly could, because she desperately needed to stay in her newly married bubble. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to keep up the charade of being fine.

Carefully and quietly tiptoeing around her room to find a change of clothes, Arizona silently chastised herself. She was strong, but she really didn't know how much longer she could keep this up - how much longer she could hide from her wife. This was no way to build the foundation of a marriage - based on lies and deceit - no matter what the reason.

Slipping back into bed, Arizona reached for her wife's arm, carefully placing it back around her waist, that feeling of safety and security unfortunately not as strong as before as she slowly drifted back to sleep, fighting tears and wondering just what the Hell she was going to do.

* * *

The following morning, Arizona awoke with a start, her mouth dry and sticky as her head painfully throbbed against her temples. Glancing around her she slowly moves to sit up, immediately regretting her action as her world started to spin, her heartbeat booming loudly in her ears. She quickly closed her eyes to fend off the assault of dizziness that now threatened to steal her consciousness. Gripping tightly to the bed rail, she breathed deeply as bile once again threatened to rise in her throat.

After all the vomiting she had done over the past two days, she was dehydrated and she knew it. Hastily fumbling for her call bell before she passed out, she haphazardly punched it, desperately hoping that a nurse or doctor would find her before her missing wife had the chance to.

"Robbins. . .what's wrong? Arizona? You need to lie down."

Miranda's words barely registered through the haze of her lightheaded brain as she sat motionless, fighting with her body and silently pleading with it not to defy her. "I. . .I. . ."

Miranda swiftly move around the bed, taking Arizona's legs and swinging then back up onto the mattress before pressing the control to lower the head of the bed.

The change in position initially made Arizona sure she was going to lose the battle with her body - that she was going to sleep into the darkness of unconsciousness, but moments later, the spinning of her brain began to desist.

"Deep breaths, Arizona. Deep breaths," Miranda instructed.

"What the Hell happened?"

Arizona recognized her best friend's concerned voice through the fading, but still throbbing noise in her ears.

"She's dehydrated and almost passed out. Grab me some fluids so I can hook up her IV," Miranda instructed, anxiously watching as Alex rushed back out the door. Glancing back down at her patient, she stared at the pale face, beads of sweat covering her forehead. "Stick with me, Arizona. I'm going to give you some fluids."

Arizona nodded her head, the twirling of the room dissipating to a slow whirl. Taking a chance, she slowly raised her eyelids, her eyes slowly focusing as she gazed up into the concerned faces of her doctor and best friend. "I'm okay. I'm okay," she repeated in a hushed whisper. "I-I'm fine. I'll be fine."

"Arizona. . ."

Miranda and Alex simultaneously argued.

Arizona rolled her eyes, reaching out a trembling hand to elevate the head of her bed. "I _said_ I'm fine. Just hang the fluids, and forget about it," she adamantly insisted. "We aren't going to talk about this again, and neither of you are to mention a word of this to Callie. Do you hear me?"

"Arizona. . ."

"Not a word!"

Alex and Miranda both mumbled something incoherent under their breath as they went about their work. Moments later, a smiling Latina appeared in the doorway dressed in black yoga pants and a baggy hooded sweatshirt, charcoal grey engineer's cap atop her head. In one hand she held the leash connected to newly named Carter - for the prestigious Carter Madison Grant Callie had adamantly insisted Arizona would someday win - and in the other, a bag of bagels and a beverage carrier holding two cups of piping hot coffee.

Stopping suddenly when she noticed the commotion around Arizona's bed, she swallowed hard, imagining the worst. "Wh-what's going on? What's the matter?" she anxiously asked, moving the short distance across the room to stand next to her wife's bed. Depositing breakfast on her bedside table, she rested a hand on either side of her wife's body, leaning in to get a good look at her.

"I'm good, Callie," Arizona stated, waving her off. "I just got a little. . .dizzy. I'm just dehydrated. No big deal. No worries," she persisted, plastering a smile on her slightly ashen face. "Is that breakfast? I'm _starving_."

Callie's eyes flicked from her wife to the apprehensive faces of Alex and her best friend who kept their own eyes trained on one another, refusing to look her way. "She's okay, right? Just a little dehydrated?" she anxiously implored.

Alex and Miranda shared knowing glances, continuing to avert Callie's gaze before looking back toward Arizona.

"Yeah. . ."

"Just a little dehydrated. . ."

They both spoke in unison.

Callie appeared relieved, leaning back from the bed to stand upright. "Good," she quietly murmured before aimlessly digging through the bag if bagels. "Here, babe," she said, pulling out a cinnamon sugar pastry and offering it to her wife. "You need to eat. I got your favorite."

Arizona hesitantly accepted the bagel, her stomach slightly jolting at the thought of putting anything into it. Taking a small nibble from the edge, she smiled up at her wife before setting it aside. "Thank you, Calliope."

Alex and Miranda quickly finished up their work before hastily making their exit. Looking from where they had just escaped out the door back toward her wife, Callie sighed. "That was weird," she began, taking a sip from her coffee cup. "What's up with them?"

Arizona stared at the empty doorway, mere seconds away from confessing all that had been going on to her new wife. Glancing back into Callie's concerned brown eyes, however, she just couldn't bring herself to do it - she couldn't be the one to break this amazing woman's heart. "Hey! We have paperwork to fill out," she quickly exclaimed, completely changing the subject. Reaching into the drawer of the stand next to her bed, she pulled out a stack of papers. "I started going through these yesterday when you got paged away. Our marriage license is first. You sign here. . ." she said, pointing to a line highlighted in yellow. "And I sign here," she continued, her index finger tapping against a pink highlighted line. "We get it notarized and then mail it in. No muss, no fuss."

Callie found herself confused by the swift change in subject, her mind reeling from the rambled speech she had just listened to. Before she had the opportunity to speak, however, Arizona barreled on through. "Then there is this issue of life insurance. I'm going to make you my primary beneficiary. It was my parents, but now, it only makes sense for it to be you. And then there's the issue of medial power of attorney. I think. . ."

"Whoa. . .slow down," Callie hastily interrupted. "Arizona. Sweetie. Take a breath."

Arizona looked up from the stack of papers she held in her hand. "This is important, Calliope. These are all things that married couples discuss," she simply stated.

Callie sighed, taking the form from her wife's grasp to read the heading.

_Advance Directive and Medical Power of Attorney - Effective Upon Execution_

Callie swallowed hard, her eyes scanning the paper. After several long moments of silence, she finally glanced back up into waiting cerulean eyes with tearful brown ones. "I'll be your MPOA, but don't even mention the letters _DNR_ to me. _That _isn't an issue right now, and it's not going to be for a very long time," she adamantly insisted.

Arizona felt her heart plummet into her chest. How could Callie not see what was happening? How could she still be so blind to what was staring her directly in the face?

There was just something in her eyes, though. Something etched in every feature of her face. Something that made her optimistic. Something that gave her hope. Something that made her determined not to give up. Not yet. She still had some fight left in her. She still had faith that something was going to get her through this. "Callie. . ."

"No, Arizona. I won't let you sign that. You said you were going to fight. _We're_ going to fight this. . .together."

Arizona set the papers aside, taking Callie's hands into her own. "I _am_ going to fight, Calliope. I'm going to fight this for as long as I possibly can. I promise. I was just going to say that I hadn't even considered signing a DNR. I'm not - we're not - _there_. . .yet."

Callie stared into the bright blue eyes that she had fallen so deeply in love with, finding nothing but determination, hope, and courage swirling around in their cerulean depths. Slowly standing from her seat beside Arizona's bed, she climbed onto the mattress, curling up next to her and cradling her small form in the loving circle of her arms.

Snuggling back into Callie's arms, Arizona laid her head on her wife's shoulder as she closed her eyes, relishing in the feel of their embrace. "You've made me so happy, Calliope," Arizona quietly said as the they sat together, enjoying their precious time alone.

"You know the feeling's mutual, right? You make me incredibly happy, too. Happier than I thought it was ever possible to be," Callie replied.

Turning around to face her wife, Arizona smiled brightly. "You know what that means, don't you?" she coyly asked.

"No. What?"

"Well, Calliope, that just means that we were made for each other."

* * *

**AN: **As always, we sincerely hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks so much to everyone for continuing to read and comment/review in spite of the current SL we are seeing on TV. (Yuck!) This story is going to really start moving, really soon. . .so hang on tight. Thanks again, and we can't wait to read what you have to say!


	12. Chapter 10

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

* * *

_**Chapter Ten**_

* * *

"I found this clinical trial at Mayo. They're using Bortezomib and combination chemotherapy in treating patients with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. I can make a few calls, and we can fill out the request form for clinical trial information. . ."

"No. . .that's too risky," Alex quickly interrupted Miranda. "I think we should focus on the trial using Everolimus and Alemtuzumab. Patients receive oral Everolimus three times a week for nine weeks and Alemtuzumab subcutaneously three times a week for seven weeks. . ."

"I don't agree," Callie piped up from where she'd silently been sitting in the corner of the room listening to Miranda and Alex argue back and forth about possible treatment options for her wife. Glancing toward Arizona who sat motionless in the middle of her bed, she sighed.

Callie's heart ached to admit it, but she could see the subtle differences in her wife's body. It had only been a month since their wedding, but the changes were definitely evident.

Her already petite form was now smaller, her eyes slightly sunken with dark rings circling them, her usually glowing ivory skin now a pasty white. There was still a slight twinkle in those bright blue eyes, though - this week between her chemo cycles doing a lot for not only her physical strength and well-being, but for her emotional psyche, as well.

Scooting her chair closer to Arizona's bed, Callie reached out to take a cold hand into her own. "You want me to kick them out?" she teasingly asked, motioning with a nod of her head toward the two doctors currently engaged in a battle of medical knowledge right before their very eyes.

Arizona let out a small chuckle before placing a feather light kiss on a caramel cheek.

"Well if you don't agree, Torres. . .what do _you_ think we should do?"

Miranda's stern voice interrupted their brief moment.

Callie looked from Arizona toward their friends before standing from her seat to gather a packet of papers from her bag. Handing a folder to all three of the other occupants in the room, she sat back down before opening her own. "I've been reading and reading. I haven't stopped researching since the transplant failed, and this is what I think. No. . .this is what I _know_ is going to work." Arizona, Miranda, and Alex all three opened their packets, glancing down at the papers within. "In this experimental trial, doctors are using a disabled form of HIV to genetically reprogram their patients' immune systems to kill cancer cells."

The room fell completely silent, all eyes darting from the trial information toward a nervous looking Callie.

"Seriously, Calliope? HIV?" Arizona asked in astonishment.

"A _disabled form_ of HIV," Callie corrected.

"How many people have they trialed this on?" Miranda rapidly fired from the side of the room, her nose once again buried in the information she held in her hands.

Callie sighed. "Twelve."

"And how many have survived?" Alex skeptically questioned.

Callie cleared her throat, realizing that convincing Arizona and their best friends was going to be an uphill battle. "Well. . ." she hesitantly began. "One six year old girl emerged from it cancer-free, and about seven months later is still in complete remission. Three adults have also had complete remissions, with no signs of disease - two of them have been well for more than two years. . ."

Arizona silently searched her wife's face. "And the rest?" she asked, needing to know all of the information.

Callie let out an exaggerated sigh. "Four adults improved, but didn't have full remissions, and one was treated too recently to evaluate. A child improved and then relapsed. In two adults, the treatment. . .didn't work at all. Umm. . .those last three, they. . .died." Her usually expressive and soulful brown eyes instantly glazed over, her thoughts straying to thoughts of Arizona.

Arizona slipping away

Arizona succumbing to this horrific disease.

Arizona. . ._dying_.

But, as soon as those abhorrent thoughts entered her mind, they vanished just as quickly as they appeared. "But, that doesn't matter," Callie continued with a wave of her hand. "Because this is going to work for us, Arizona. You're going to be one of the survivors. This is going to fix everything. I just know it."

Alex closed his folder, his worried gaze meeting Miranda's before glancing toward the other people in the room. "How many spots are left in the trial, Torres?"

Callie stared him down, but then, with a slight shake of her head, closed her eyes. "One," she softly breathed out.

Miranda tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth as she scratched at the side of her face. When Callie's eyes opened to meet hers, she nearly lost her composure upon witnessing the pain, frustration, and dejection she found swirling around in their depths. "Well. . .this is definitely an option, and I think it's a good one. We just have to. . ."

The blaring of two pagers cut off her words, all three doctors in lab coats looking down toward their waists to see if it was theirs. "911 in the pit," Callie and Alex both said in unison as another pager began to sound.

"I have to go, too," Miranda informed, pulling the device from her the waist of her pants.

As Alex and Miranda took their leave, Callie momentarily lingered behind. Leaning down to kiss her wife's cool pink lips, she gently enveloped her into a loving embrace. Pulling back, she nuzzled their noses together. "This is the one, Arizona. I know it. Just think about it, okay?" Callie hopefully implored.

Arizona found herself lost in those chocolate depths - the hope, desperation, and strength she saw there overwhelming her soul. "I will, Calliope. I promise."

* * *

Left to her own devices once everyone had left the room, Arizona sat in the middle of her bed, legs crossed as she stared at the wall. She hadn't participated much in their earlier conversation concerning trials and treatments, choosing instead to sit in silence and nod when necessary, smiling when she thought it was appropriate.

That was until Callie had spoken up about the research she had done. While it pained Arizona to see the hopeful sparkle in those brown eyes she loved as Bailey and Alex shared looks of concern between them, there was something about the information Callie had provided that caused a twinge of hope to tug at her heart. At the same time, however, it just made her more worried - more frustrated.

Did she really want to risk getting her hopes up that she would be accepted into the trial when there was only one spot left?

Would her already failing body handle the treatment, or would that alone be enough to kill her before the leukemia had the chance?

Could she bear to see the hurt and dejection on Callie's face if this treatment didn't work?

She wanted to live. She wanted to be with Callie for as long as she possibly could, but she just wasn't sure she wanted to take any more chances.

After several minutes of sitting in a trance-like silence, Arizona felt that all too familiar sensation in her abdomen as her stomach began to contract. Throwing herself from the bed as quickly as she could, she bolted into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her before kneeling down on the floor. Violent spasms ripped through her body as she brought up only bile, her throat burning and her stomach muscles painfully convulsing. Her appetite had only just returned during this week between chemo cycles, and she'd hoped for the few days when she wasn't being pumped full of toxic poisons that she wouldn't feel so sick.

Apparently no such luck.

Once the heaving had slowly desisted, she braced her hands on the edge of the toilet, shakily repositioning her knees in an attempt to stand. With her entire body fatigued from the effort and with the occasional urge to vomit still flowing through her, she was momentarily suspended from moving any further.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, she managed to haul herself up into standing. Carefully moving over to the sink, she gingerly picked up a cloth to run it under the tepid water before bringing it to her face. She could feel herself flushing hot and cold - a sudden sensation of a heavy fog settling over her, and before she could stop herself, she felt the air leave her lungs as her knees buckled from underneath her.

Unable to stop herself from falling, she crumpled to the floor, arms and legs flailing about, bursts of pain shooting through her slender form as her body made contact with the hard tiled floor. Eyes slamming shut on impact, she loudly moaned into the small bathroom, her pain echoing off the institutional white walls.

For several minutes, Arizona lay deathly still as she tried to fend off the dizziness and nausea that consumed her. "God damn it!" she weakly muttered into the room.

This was so fucking unfair.

She was supposed to be feeling good this week. She _had _been feeling good this week, but for some reason, all of the sudden the gods decided to laugh at her because here she was lying on a bathroom floor in a fucking hospital room.

Alone.

Scared.

In pain and sick to her stomach.

With that realization, laying there curled in on herself, with no one around, Arizona came to a conclusion.

No matter how much Miranda, Alex, and Calliope talked about treatments and trials and options, nothing was going to work. She may end up getting a few more weeks or even a couple extra months, but as she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position, her muscles protesting at the movement, it finally hit her.

She was going to die no matter what.

No matter how often her friends and wife sat around discussing option after option, trial after trial, there was nothing that would allow her to leave this hospital ever again. She was never going to be able to travel to Paris or jump out of an airplane with Callie at her side.

She was never going to be able to have children.

She wouldn't get to watch Callie accept the Harper Avery or win her very own Carter Madison.

None of this was going to happen, and she just needed to get over it.

She needed to accept her fate.

Up until now, she had hope. She had faith that God wouldn't have given her such an amazing woman to love, only to be taken from her in a few short months.

But, God had nothing to do with this. This was life, and life was fucking unfair. People died all the time, and there was nothing she or anyone else could do about it. She needed to accept what life had thrown at her. She had to deal with it.

Her reality was that she was sick. She was only getting worse, and she no longer had the strength to pretend otherwise. She didn't want to have to hide it from Callie. She didn't have the strength to. She loved her wife with everything that she was and would do everything in her power to fight for as long as she could, but she couldn't go on pretending that everything was fine. She couldn't go on holding onto hope that just wasn't there, and she couldn't even consider another treatment.

She couldn't have her heart broken by a negative outcome ever again.

She didn't want this life. She didn't want to be restrained to a hospital bed.

More than anything she wanted to be able to get up and walk out of this hospital with Calliope by her side. She wanted to give her a rich and full life where they would grow old together, watching their grandchildren run around their backyard. . .but she couldn't do that. She would never be able to do that, and. . .it broke her heart.

With her heart shattering to pieces, tears began to fall before she could stop them, the pain in her chest taking her breath as the grief of what she would never be able to do suddenly hit her with the force of a wrecking ball. Banging her fists against the wall, she cursed aloud over and over again as she mourned the life she would never be able to live. As her breathing hitched, nearly stolen from her chest, she knew she was close to hyperventilating, but didn't try to control herself.

There was no way she could.

For the first time in nearly two years, she fully allowed herself to feel the grief and pain of her situation. Even after her multiple breakdowns with Alex, she still had hope. She still had faith. . .but, as she continued to smash her fists against the wall, the flavor of her own tears tainting her mouth, she knew once and for all that there was no hope.

There was no chance of her survival.

With her heart beating a painful erratic rhythm against her chest, she knew she had to accept this. She had to come to terms with the fact that she was going to. . .die.

This was her life now.

There was no coming back from this.

After several long moments, her tears slowly began to dry as her heart rate slowed down to normal, her head beginning to clear. She'd spent the past weeks and months trying to be strong - trying to pretend - but doing that was just using up all of her energy and strength. Now though, she felt, in a strange way, that a burden had been lifted. She could finally breathe again. . .for the first time in years, because she was no longer pretending.

In a moment of clarity, she finally realized that she had accepted her fate and that as much as it hurt her to know she wouldn't be with Calliope forever, she felt slightly better. She felt stronger for it. She'd been torn up inside, emotions plaguing her, trying to hold onto something to ground herself, but as her mind started to finally accept her reality, she found that dying didn't scare her anymore.

The strength she'd been using to pretend and placate, could now be used to focus on the time she had left. She could now spend each day using her energy to love her wife - to be with her best friend - to prepare them for when the time came for her to go. She wanted to make sure she loved them enough so they knew just how much she cherished and adored them, so that when she was gone, they would be able to move on and not mourn her for the rest of their lives.

"Arizona? You here?"

Arizona's head snapped toward the closed bathroom door at the sounds of her best friend calling her name.

"In here," she called out in a raspy voice.

Slowly opening the door, Alex stepped inside, stopping when he saw his best friend sitting against the wall, her eyes rimmed red. Immediately starting to panic, he dropping to his knees, his hands automatically cupping her face as he peered into her bloodshot eyes. "What happened? Did you hurt yourself? Do you need me to page Bailey? What can I do?" he urgently questioned.

Shaking her head, Arizona grabbed his hands, squeezing them with her own. "No, Alex. I'm fine."

Alex skeptically studied his best friend, sensing something was. . ._different_, but not knowing exactly what it was. "You're sitting on the bathroom floor, Arizona, and you've clearly been crying. That doesn't exactly scream _fine_ to me," he gruffly replied, though Arizona didn't comment. Sighing, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder to help her into standing. "You know you don't have to do this, right? You don't have to lie to me to protect me. I can handle it," he continued once he was sure she was finally steady on her feet.

Moving back to the sink, Arizona washed her hands under the water before squeezing a generous amount of toothpaste onto her toothbrush to get rid of the horrible taste in her mouth. After spitting and rinsing several times, she turned toward Alex, offering her hand to him. Linking his larger hand with hers, he glanced at her in confusion as she pulled him behind her and back into her room.

Watching as Arizona sat down on the edge of her bed, he began to worry. "Seriously, Arizona. What's going on here? You're acting. . ._weird_."

Arizona intently studied her best friend's face before motioning for him to take the seat next to her bed. "You know I love you, right?" she asked, reaching out to take his hands.

"Arizona, where's this coming from? What's wrong? Is it Callie?" he rapidly questioned.

Arizona shook her head. "I just need to know that you realize how much you mean to me, Alex. . .how thankful I am to have had you in my life," she gently began.

Confused, but also touched, Alex nodded his head. "Of course I do, Robbins. . .but seriously, what's this all about?" he asked again.

Arizona knew that Alex wasn't good with emotion, and she wasn't exactly ready to say goodbye to him just yet, but she also needed to be sure that he understood just how much he meant to her. "I'm going to die soon, Alex. . ." she firmly began, but immediately stopped when he jumped up, his eyes blazing.

"Don't you even think about that, Arizona! Don't say it!" he shouted.

"Alex. . ."

"No!" he harshly continued, shaking his head. "Don't you dare say your goodbyes to me. Do you hear me? We. . .we're not there. Not yet!"

Smiling sadly, Arizona again reached for his hand, urging him to sit back down. "You're right, we aren't there, yet. . .and this isn't me saying goodbye, Alex. . .but, this is me saying that I've accepted this. I'm not happy about it by any means, but I feel like I've made peace with all of this. I can't spend the next three or six, or however many months pretending it's not going to happen. It's too exhausting."

Alex let out a lengthy breath. "S-so what are you saying, Robbins? You're just going to give up?" he incredulously asked.

"Of course not, Alex," Arizona immediately fired back "I just. . .I'm saying that it's okay now. I can't change it. . .you, Bailey, and Callie can't change it, and instead of spending hours upon hours of researching things that will make me sicker and only give me a few extra weeks, I want to spend my time happy and not in pain and sick every day. I want to spend it watching you grow to be the amazing peds surgeon I always knew you would be. I want to spend it making love to my new wife and making her deliriously happy for as long as I can," she trailed off, tears stinging her eyes. "So. . .in a way, I guess I _am_ giving up. I don't want to think about experimental treatments or sign up for a clinical trial. I just want to. . ._live_. For as long as I have left."

Alex sat motionless, staring at his best friend. His person. His heart was pounding, and he wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her, but one look into those determined blue eyes, and it all became clear. She was, like many terminally ill patients, finally accepting her fate. She had made peace with it, and there was no way he could argue, because there was no way he was going to steal that salvation from her.

"Okay," he softly spoke.

"Okay? What does that even mean, Alex?"

He gently squeezed her hands. "It means. . ._okay_. It means I get it. It means I'm happy that you've made peace with this. It's just. . .you know, normally. . .when the person who is sick makes peace, it means that it's time their loved ones did the same."

Nodding her understanding, Arizona leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her best friend's shoulders. "That's right, Alex. That is what it means, but I know you. . .and I know you'll be okay," she quietly whispered as she held him close.

Alex nodded his head, a lone tear escaping his eye. "What about Callie, though?" he asked as he continued to hug his best friend. "Callie isn't ready, Arizona. She's not. . ."

"It's time Callie and I had a talk," she softly interrupted. Pulling away from his embrace, she sighed. "Can you go get her for me? Please?" she quietly asked as she stared into his conflicted light brown eyes.

With a nod of his head, he stood from his chair. "Of course. I'll be right back."

* * *

Callie hastily rushed through the oncology unit with Alex hot on her heels. "Hey is everything alright?" she breathlessly asked as she ran into Arizona's room, leaving Alex to linger in the doorway.

Sitting in the middle of the bed, piece of paper and pen in hand, Arizona brightly smiled up at her wife. "Everything's perfectly fine, babe. I just wanted to talk to you about something. . .if you had the time" she stated, accepting the chaste kiss Callie laid upon her cheek.

"Holy shit, Arizona. You scared me. Alex said you were okay, but. . ."

"I'll catch up with you guys later," Alex interrupted from the doorway.

Glancing in his direction, Arizona smiled, mutual understanding shining between them. "You bet," she replied. "In fact, we should order pizza and have a movie night. Oh, ooh. . .maybe Bailey will come, too," she happily suggested.

Alex smirked at his best friend's cheerfulness. "Sounds awesome, Arizona. I'll talk to you soon," he said before turning to leave the room.

Callie cautiously studied her wife, glad that she seemed happy and upbeat, but also a little wary of her chipperness. Had Arizona read through the packet of information concerning the experimental treatment? Was she now willing to apply for the last spot in the clinical trial she had suggested?

"What's up, babe?"

"You weren't busy were you?" Arizona asked as Callie moved to sit on the bed, making herself comfortable.

Callie shook her head. "Nope. I was just finishing up some post-op notes, but now I'm all yours," she said, a bright smile replacing her look of worry and confusion. "Whatcha got there?" she asked, noticing the piece of paper in her wife's hands. "Is that the stuff about that clinical trial at the University of Pennsylvania?"

"No, it's the. . .bucket list I made a while back. I just wanted to let you know that I filled in that last space that I'd left blank," Arizona casually replied, knowing that while Callie had conceded to helping her with the list, it still wasn't exactly something her new wife approved of.

Callie's brow furrowed, remembering that blank number twenty spot. "That's great, babe. What did you put?" she inquisitively asked.

Arizona fidgeted with the ruled piece of paper she held in her grasp, a blush rising on her cheeks. "Well. . .I've known what I wanted to put there from the very beginning, but. . .well, I was a little worried you wouldn't agree. It's something I want more than anything. More than any other item on the list, and I. . ._need_ you to help me check it off. In fact, now more than ever I. . ._want_ this," she carefully stated, turning over the page and handing it to her wife.

Intrigued as to what would make Arizona blush and stutter, Callie's eyes scanned the page until they reached the bottom. There in big bold letters were the words, _MAKE LOVE TO MY WIFE._

Briefly looking up toward Arizona, Callie's eyes flicked back down to the page as her own blush crept onto tanned cheeks. Carefully setting the paper aside, she let her eyes meet the intense gaze of her wife. Taking cool ivory hands into her own, she cleared her throat, carefully choosing her words. "Sweetheart, I want nothing more than to make love to you, and we will. I promise. . .but, I think we might need to wait until. . ."

"No, Calliope!" Arizona hastily interrupted. "It has to be now. As soon as possible. Because, soon I won't be able to, and I just _need_ to make love to you," she insisted, her voice strong.

Immediately frustrated, Callie threw her hands up in the air, her voice raising. "Arizona, we have all the time in the world to do this, and I just think it would be best if we waited until you're able to leave the hospital."

Looking beyond exasperated at the fact that Callie refused to pull her head out of the sand, Arizona took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her racing heart. She didn't want to fight with Callie, but she was determined to make the Latina accept the truth so they could move on and enjoy what time she had left. She couldn't continue allowing her wife to live in this fantasy world, because continuing to deny the truth wasn't doing either of them any good. "Listen to me, Callie. The ideas we talked about were just ideas. We can't. . ._pin_ all our hopes on them, and in the meantime, I'm getting sicker, and I want to make love to you while I', still physically able," she urged. "It's all I can think about. . .all the time, and I want to be able to do this before I get any worse. Please, Calliope," Arizona begged.

Callie adamantly shook her head, raising her hands to halt her wife. "Just wait. . .please," she pled, feeling scared and on edge with the way Arizona was talking. "Are you. . .it sounds like. . .I. . .what exactly are you saying to me, Arizona?" she dumbly questioned.

Taking a deep breath and reaching for her wife's hands, Arizona looked Callie straight in the eye. "I'm saying that. . .I'm _dying_, Calliope. I'm saying that I might only have six months left to live, maybe less, and before I die, I want - no, I _need_ - to make love to you. You're my wife, and I love you, and I'll be damned if I go anywhere before I get the chance to be with you."

Watching as Callie's eyes widened as she continued to shake her head as if to dispel the very idea that this was their reality, Arizona refused to relent. Grasping Callie's hands more tightly when she felt her begin to pull away, she forcefully tugged her closer. "I'm dying, Calliope! You have to accept it. . .please. I'm so, so fucking sorry, but you can't keep going on like this. We can't. . .keep going on like this. I've accepted this, and-and now, it's time that you did, too," she contended, her eyes brimming with tears, her heart breaking into a million tiny pieces.

Brusquely snatching her hands from her wife's grasp, Callie jumped from the bed, her eyes wild and alive as tears slowly leaked down her face. "Y-you. . .you've accepted it?" she scoffed. "What the Hell, Arizona? What about me? What about me?"

"Calliope, please. . ." Arizona cried, moving to stand in an attempt to comfort her distraught wife.

Stepping back, Callie shook her head. "No, Arizona! Don't touch me! I can't accept this. . .I w-won't. . ."

Callie's harsh words saddened Arizona even further, but she was determined to remain strong. "You have to, baby. This is real, and it's happening, and if you can accept it then we can m-move forward. . ."

"Where there Hell are we going to go, Arizona? I don't know where. . ."

"We can use the rest of my time to be. . .h-happy," Arizona interrupted, her own tears obscuring her vision.

Needing to remove herself from the situation before she completely lost it, Callie briskly moved toward the door. "This is NOT happening, and I-I. . .I c-can't listen to this. Just. . .NO!" she screamed before turning on her heel and fleeing the room, leaving a sobbing and terrified Arizona behind.

* * *

With tears continuing to stream down her cheeks, Callie aimlessly rushed through the halls of the hospital, unsure of where her feet were leading her. Her heart pounded in her ears, her shoes against the tiled floor, the only other sound she could recognize.

Finding herself standing in front of the door leading to a room she'd visited several times over the past few months, she reached out for the handle, momentarily hesitating before turning the knob to enter. Slowly stepping into the room, she glanced at the wall ahead of her, the crucifix she saw there never ceasing to humble her in its presence.

Dipping her forefingers into the holy water in the font near the entrance, she anointed herself with the Sign of the Cross. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen," she reverently whispered into the empty chapel.

As she quietly walked down the aisle to sit, she stopped at the row of pews halfway down the aisle, genuflecting toward the front of the church before once again performing the Sign of the Cross. Sitting back in the pew, she sighed.

There was no way this could be happening. She'd visited this chapel several times a week since meeting Arizona. She'd prayed to God above to spare her. She'd bargained with Him - promising to devote the rest of her life to Him if he could just answer this one prayer.

Glancing around the chapel, taking in the beauty of the stained glass windows, she moved forward, her shaky legs meeting the kneeler. Clasping her hands together, she rested her elbows in the back of the pew in front of her, preparing herself to clear her mind for God.

But she couldn't.

Because she was angry at Him.

Pissed.

How could he grant her so much happiness, only to rip it from her grasp?

She'd prayed and prayed, but now. . .

She didn't want to pray anymore. She wanted to have a conversation with Him. She wanted to scream, and she wanted to yell. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now.

"The bible says, _trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock_," Callie scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Bull! Trust you? Why? What have YOU done for _me_?" She shook her head as tears once again began to fall. "_But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness_," she rapidly quoted. "_Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you_," she angrily spat. "Merciful? Gracious? How is taking the woman I love more than anything in this fucked up world you've created, _caring_ for me? Where is the mercy in that? Huh? Where? How is turning your back on me when I need you most a sign of _steadfast love_ and _faithfulness_? How? I've been faithful to you, but how have you been faithful to me? I've devoted my life to helping others, but what have you done for me? Answer me, damn it!" she hysterically shouted. "What the Hell have you done for me?!"

"Callie. . ."

"What?!" she furiously answered, her head snapping in the direction of the voice interrupting her tirade.

Miranda silently sat next to her, her dark brown eyes mournfully penetrating her best friend's soul. "What, Bailey? What?" Callie yelled, digging the heels of her palms into her eyes. "If you don't have any answers for me, I have no time for you, either!"

Miranda reached out a tentative hand to touch her best friend's shoulder as she scooted closer to her on the pew. Feeling the gentle touch, Callie was powerless to hold together the fraying cord of emotions she was feeling, her body heavily collapsing on itself as she fell into the embrace of her best friend. "She-she's giving up, Bailey! Everything in my life is always a disaster! I thought she. . .she was the one thing I did right! I need her so much, Bailey! Without Arizona, I-I can't. . .I can't even breathe. I-I can't. . .wh-what did I do to mess _this_ up. How did I screw _this_ up just like everything else?" she sobbed into Miranda's shoulder, her unabashed tears soaking into the smaller woman's lab coat.

"Oh, Callie. . .you didn't do anything. Honey, this isn't your fault."

Unnoticed by the woman huddled together in the pew, Alex quietly slipped into chapel, silently taking a seat at the back of the small room. Glancing around him, he felt uncomfortable. Church just wasn't his thing. He'd never attended, even as a child, but somehow, he had ended up here. Somehow, he felt like this was where he was supposed to be, because right now, he just needed something. He needed answers. He needed the strength necessary to carry on.

"But, I've prayed. I-I've talked to God. . .every single day since Arizona came into my life. I've gone to church, I've. . ." she trailed off, losing her voice as she gasped for breath. "She-she's going to. . ._die_, Bailey."

Miranda stroked the raven hair at the back of her best friend's hair. "I know, sweetie. I know," she tried to soothe, but her words only served to make Callie cry harder, her body uncontrollably shaking as relentless sobs wracked her form. Rocking the larger woman back and forth in her embrace, her own tears moistened her face. "But you can't be angry at God or yourself for this, because God is here for you, Callie. He loves you, and in your toughest times. . .during the hardest days. . .He'll be here. When you're overcome with tears because of the emptiness and pain her absence will leave, God will be here for you. . ." Miranda trailed off, pulling back from her best friend so she could look into her eyes. Quickly wiping a hand across her face, she sighed. "But, she isn't gone yet, Callie. Your wife is still very much alive and by waiting until the last possible minute to acknowledge that she is. . ._really and truly dying_. . .you're denying yourself precious opportunities with her - invaluable time to make everlasting memories. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for, Callie, and my advice is to. . .look past your own fear and be truly honest with yourself. You've known as well as the rest of us have that this was coming. It just took you longer to admit, but you need to step into the situation now, before. . .before it's too late. It's okay to step back if it's too much, and I'll be here for you every step of the way, but please. . .please try. For your sake and Arizona's. She adores you, Callie. . .and she needs you now, more than ever before."

Alex rested his elbows on his knees, his hands firmly clasped together, a silent tear streaking down his face. He knew that Miranda's speech was meant solely for Callie's ears, but as he sat listening to her heartfelt words, he couldn't help but be struck speechless by just how much they pertained to himself and _his_ relationship with Arizona, as well.

Callie shook her head, hastily wiping at her face with the backs of her hands. "I can't, Bailey. I just can't watch her. . .slip away. . ."

"You _can_, Callie."

"But. . .I don't _want_ to. All I want is. . ._her._"

"And you still have her, for a little while at least. Why not make the most of that time? Why not stop hiding from the truth and just. . ._love_ her."

Callie carefully considered her best friend's words, a feeling of tangible calm and overwhelming love, suddenly consuming her soul. It was real - the atmosphere around her alive with a greater sense of stability and tranquility than she'd felt in months.

And with that sensation filling her mind, body, and spirit, she knew exactly what she needed to do.

Nodding her head in the direction of her best friend, she slowly stood on trembling legs before making her way out of the pew and up the aisle toward the exit. Upon reaching the door, she saw the other person present in the room, her heart breaking for the melancholy demeanor written across his usually stoic face. Extending a shaky hand in his direction, she closed her eyes as he accepted it, both making their way out the chapel door and toward the person who needed them most.

The person they were both destined to love.

* * *

"You go ahead, Torres," Alex said when they reached room 1614. "She needs _you_, now. I'll see you both in the morning."

Callie continued to grip his hand with her own. "Are you sure? You're her best friend, Alex. She needs you just as much as she needs me."

"No, Callie. Right now, she needs the love and support only you can give her. So go. Be honest with her. Tell her how you feel."

Callie nodded her head, watching as he quickly turned and disappeared down the hallway. Hesitantly opening the door, she stuck her head in through the small opening she made. Seeing Arizona curled in a ball on her small hospital bed, her face sticky with dried tears caused Callie's heart to plummet into her stomach. Stealing herself for what she was about to do, she blew out a breath before quickly entering the room.

Sitting up on her bed when she heard someone hastily opening and closing the drawers of her bureau, Arizona's mouth fell agape, her eyes wide. "Wh-what are you doing, Callie?" she softly asked.

Throwing a few items into a small duffle bag, Callie quickly zipped it up before depositing it on the bed. Retrieving a wheelchair from the corner of the room, she positioned it next to the bed before taking a seat on the edge of the mattress. With a slight smile, she took Arizona's frail hands into her own. "I-I love you so much, Arizona Robbins, and I. . .I've been so stupid. I just feel so. . ._cheated, _because I want more time. We _deserve_ more time. I want to spend sixty years loving you, not just sixty _days_. . .and I'm _so_ sorry. I've wasted time, precious, precious minutes, hours, and days. . .that we'll never be able to get back. I-I should have spent less time focused on making you better and more time on telling you just what you mean to me."

"Calliope. . ."

"No, Arizona. Please. Please, just listen to me," Callie interrupted.

Noting the nod of her wife's head, she reached up to brush away a stray tear with a swipe of her thumb. "I can't. . .I won't ever feel okay about this, and I can't promise you that I'll ever stop searching for a cure, but I get it. You've spent all of your time and energy worrying about me, and you. . .you're so tired, sweetheart. You're exhausted, and it's mostly my fault. So, please, Arizona. Please don't worry about me. You've been such a fighter, but now it's time for you to rest. It's time for me to take care of you. I understand what's happening. . .I've somehow accepted this as a. . ._possibility_, and I'm sad. I'm so fucking sad, Arizona. . .but, somehow I'll be all right," she insisted before leaning in to lay a delicate kiss against pink lips. Hesitantly pulling away, her soulful brown eyes locked with moist blue ones. "Please forgive me for being so blind, Arizona, and please, please let me make this up to you. I'm so sorry I've denied us valuable time together, but now. . .I'm ready. I'm prepared to be here with you. . .loving you. . .and living in the moment. . .with you."

Arizona shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she took in the sheer strength and devotion her wife was exuding. "There's nothing to forgive, Calliope. Nothing at all," she quietly insisted, an unsteady hand reaching out to caress Callie's perfectly smooth face. "Believe me, I _know _how hard this is. I don't w-want to ever be without you, but I. . .I. . ."

"It's okay, sweetie. You don't have to say anything else. It's okay, and tonight. . .tonight is going to be about you and me. I think we've waited long enough, don't you?" Callie asked, smiling down at her wife.

Looking surprised but unable to wipe the bashful smile off her face, Arizona stared at her gorgeous wife who was gazing at her with all the love in the world. "Really?" she shyly asked.

"Really," Callie firmly stated.

"Sooo. . .you think tonight?"

"Is definitely the night."

"For sex, right? We're talking about sex?" Arizona checked, desperately hoping that they were on the same page.

"The sexy night," Callie replied with a seductive wink.

A dimpled grin erupted on Arizona's face, her eyes joyfully twinkling bright blue. "Okay."

Callie softly chuckled at the dumbfounded look on Arizona's face. "So if you're up for it, you're chariot awaits, my dear," she replied, motioning with an open palm toward the wheelchair next to the bed.

"My, my, Calliope. . .you sure do know how to travel in style, but I'm not riding in _that_ thing."

"Arizona. . ."

"No, Callie. For months, I've dreamed of walking out of this hospital holding your hand. So tonight, I'm not a patient. I'm just your wife, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Callie rolled her eyes at her wife's stubbornness, reaching to the bed to grab the duffle bag. Throwing the strap over her shoulder, she then laced her fingers through Arizona's to pull her into standing. "You ready, then?"

With a smile brighter than Callie had ever seen, Arizona hastily pulled her towards the exit. "Never been more ready for anything in my entire life."

* * *

**AN: **Thanks so much for continuing to read this story. Reviews and comments are always welcome, and we look forward to reading each and every one. Hopefully everyone makes it through this final #GreysDay of the season. . .we all know it's going to be a rough one. #TheStormIsComing Ugh!


	13. Chapter 11

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **A huge thank you to everyone who continues to read and review! We hope you enjoy this update! Thanks again! Last we saw, Callie and Arizona were leaving the hospital. Let's see where they ended up. Enjoy!

* * *

_**Chapter Eleven**_

* * *

Unlocking the door to her apartment, Callie motioned for Arizona to enter first, following closely behind. Gently shutting the door, she sighed. "So. . .this is it."

Arizona glanced around the spacious apartment, taking in her surroundings. This was the first time she'd been to Callie's apartment - _their_ apartment, she guessed - even though she was supposed to move into this very place, just two months before. Looking around the space, she turned back to her wife who lingered just inside the door. "It's lovely, Calliope."

Callie smiled, nodding her head. Nervously running the palm of her hand over her jean clad thigh, she cleared her throat. "So. . .umm. . .can I get you anything? Would you like something to eat? Drink? Umm, I could. . ."

"Calm down, Callie. Take a breath," Arizona interrupted, finding her wife's nervous rambling more than a little adorable. "I'm fine. Really."

Callie pulled off her leather jacket before hanging it on the rack near the door. "Okay, then. I guess I'll just show you around." Taking Arizona's hand into her own, the Latina pulled the duffle bag she had packed in her wife's hospital room back over her shoulder before leading her further into the apartment. "Well, clearly this is the living room and kitchen area," she stated, motioning around her with her free hand at the large common area of the apartment.

"Yeah, I got that much," Arizona teased.

A pink blush lit Callie's cheeks as she continued further into the apartment. "This is the bedroom," she said as she opened the room's door. "And that is the bathroom, right through there."

Arizona looked around her, not surprised by the eclectic design and colors of the furnishings and decor in her wife's bedroom. This space was one hundred percent Calliope Torres. "So. . ." she began, trailing off as she stepped closer to the closed bathroom door. "Does your bathroom have a bathtub, or just a shower?" she asked.

Callie's brow furrowed in confusion as she pondered her wife's question. "There's a shower, but a tub, too. Why?" she asked with a chuckle, the elated twinkle in her wife's bright blue eyes warming her heart.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've taken a bubble bath?" Arizona scoffed. "Like. . .oh my God. . .it's been more than six months. I can't even believe I've been in the hospital for that long - at Hopkins and then here."

Callie smiled, realization setting in. "Well, my dear, if a bubble bath is all it takes to make you happy, then your wish is my command." Once again taking Arizona's hand into her own, the Latina led her into the bathroom toward the large claw foot tub located in the corner of the small room. Sitting down on the rim of the bathtub, the Latina started the water before glancing up at several bottles lining a wooden shelf. "You're choices are. . .Vanilla Tangerine, Lavender, or. . .Citrus Basil."

Arizona tipped her head to the side, considering her choices. Tapping her index finger to her lips, she smiled. "You pick. Whatever you'll. . ._appreciate_ the most is what I want to smell like tonight," she seductively purred.

Callie's perfectly manicured eyebrow raised upon hearing her wife's sultry suggestion. "Okay then," she mused, pouring a generous amount of Vanilla Tangerine bubble bath into the stream of running water. Standing from her perch against the edge of the tub, she crossed the room, grabbing a fluffy towel and washcloth from the linen closet. Handing them to her wife, she moved back into the bedroom to gather Arizona's duffle bag. "Here are your clothes, and everything else you need is on the shelf there or in the closet. I'll let you soak and relax. If you need anything, I'll be in the bedroom."

Arizona nodded her head. "You don't want to join me?" she asked, a seductive tone to her voice.

Callie moved to stand directly in front of her wife, grasping slender shoulders with her hands. Searching her face with a flick of her eyes, she then leaned forward to lay a gentle kiss upon moist pink lips. "Not right now, sweetie," she stated once their kiss came to its gradual end. "I've got some. . ._things_ I need to do right now, but. . .I'll be waiting for you. Okay?"

Arizona's bottom lip immediately jutted out in a cute little pout. "Okay," she hesitantly relented. "Care to tell me what kind of _things_ you need to do? You aren't going to get started without me, are you?"

A hearty chuckle fell from Callie's lips. "Not a chance," she adamantly stated, a megawatt smile covering her face. "Just yell if you need anything," she stated before sensually sauntering out the bathroom door.

* * *

A half hour later, Callie anxiously moved around the bedroom, making sure everything was perfect. Deciding to take a seat on the edge of the bed, her mind raced, thoughts of Arizona and what this night meant clouding her mind. Nervously wringing her hands as she waited for her wife to emerge from the bathroom, she couldn't help but smile.

Tonight was the night.

It was _really_ the night.

Tonight there wouldn't be a failed attempt. She hoped not, at least, because at this point in time, she wanted nothing more to feel her wife's skin beneath her hands. Nothing more than her silky flesh beneath her lips - their naked bodies intimately pressed together, legs provocatively entangled. Feeling her cheeks flush and her body become alive with arousal just at the thought of Arizona's bare flesh at the mercy of her own wanton hands, Callie swallowed hard, momentarily closing her eyes as she exhaled a lengthy cleansing breath.

Hearing the lock click and the bathroom door swing open, Callie's eyes snapped open, a sense of déjà vu coming over her, a large grin illuminating her features as Arizona stepped into the room, moving closer to her. This time, instead of the blue nightgown she had worn on their wedding night, her wife wore a stunning red gown, black lace adorning the plunging scalloped neckline.

Looking around, Arizona spied candles lit around the darkened room, a bucket with a chilling bottle of champagne and two glasses resting on the night stand. Quickly glancing toward Callie who sat on the edge of the bed, her mouth fell open. "What's all this?" she asked in surprise.

Callie chuckled softly at the shock on her adorable wife's face. "Nothing much," she replied as if the answer was completely obvious. "I just want tonight to be special," she stated, standing from the bed to step in front of her wife. Reaching down, she picked up a champagne flute before pouring the bubbly liquid from the chilled bottle into it and offering it to her.

Accepting the glass from her wife, Arizona didn't bring it to her mouth, instead choosing to set it back down on the night stand. "I don't want anything clouding this moment," she husked, taking Callie's hand and leading her to the bed.

Resting their heads on the mountain of fluffy pillows Callie had arranged, they stretched their bodies fully along the length of the bed. Side by side, both women gazed into each other's eyes, fingers slowly tracing much loved features on both tanned and ivory faces.

"How was your bath?" Callie asked in a hushed whisper. "Relaxing?"

Arizona grinned, pressing up on her elbow before leaning down to gently caress her wife's lips with her own. "Mmm hmm, very relaxing," she admitted before pulling back. "But then, I kept picturing you. . .out here. . .all alone. . .wearing something quite similar to this. . ." she trailed off, an urgent hand roaming over a purple silk clad hip, "and suddenly, all of that relaxation flew right out the window," she finished, her heart softly thudding against her chest. She knew tonight was going to be their night, the night she'd been waiting for, for what seemed like forever.

Callie smiled, leaning up to peck at her wife's lips. "I'm glad you approve," she quietly husked.

Settling back down onto the bed, Arizona's gaze locked with the chocolate brown eyes she adored. This wasn't like their first attempt where she was too tired. In fact, tonight - despite her earlier bought with nausea and the fall she sustained in the bathroom of her hospital room - she felt stronger than she had in a long time. Maybe it was due to the week off chemo, or maybe it was simply because she was riding the high of finally getting to make love to her beautiful wife, but either way, she didn't care.

For some reason, though, Arizona suddenly felt nervous. Since meeting Callie, she had been the more aggressive one when it came to the physical side of their relationship, but now - lying here on Callie's king size bed, with those deep brown eyes boring into her soul, she felt butterflies erupt in the pit of her stomach.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Callie cautiously asked, noting her wife's hesitance. "We don't have to do this tonight if you don't want to," she continued, her voice soft as it interrupted Arizona's thoughts.

Gently smiling, Arizona moved in closer, not an inch left between them. "I want this. More than anything, Calliope. I promise. It's just. . .I s-suddenly got so nervous," she hesitantly admitted.

"Me, too."

"Really?" Arizona asks in surprise.

Nodding her head, the Latina placed her hand against Arizona's hip, the silk of her lingerie slipping easily through her fingers. "I am. I'm about to make love to the love of my life for the first time. I. . .I've never done that before. I've never had a wife, and I've never felt like this about anyone before. . .and, well. . .that makes me nervous. But, you know what?" Callie asked as her hand slowly travelled up Arizona's side, causing goose bumps to erupt on her bare arm.

"Wh-what?" Arizona rasped, shuddering at the sensation of those talented fingers brushing against her skin.

Callie scooted impossibly closer. "I'm also excited, because I know this is going to be _amazing_. I know it's going to be life changing. . .for the both of us, and that. . .that absolutely thrills me."

Unable to come up with a reply she found adequate, Arizona only nodded, swallowing hard as she felt her wife's hand slip down to her abdomen, an open palm rubbing small circles as long fingers reached up to tickle just under her breastbone, causing an undeniable surge of heat to spread from the tip of her toes to the top of her head. Nerves quickly starting to dissipate, Arizona's eyes fought to remain open as the sensation of Callie's breath on her lips and her fingers on her midsection caused her body to vibrate with wanton lust and shameless need. "Please, Callie. Make love to me," she rasped out.

Callie's lips quickly descended upon Arizona's with a hunger that caused her back to arch, pressing forward as hungry mouths opened for insistent tongues to slide against each other. Two sets of hands slid and felt their way over territory never fully explored. "Oh, God. I need to feel more of you. I want to see you. All of you, Calliope," Arizona moaned as she ripped her mouth away from their passionate kiss.

Catching her breath, and smiling at Arizona, Callie slowly sat up on her knees. With her hands slipping to her hips, she seductively tugged on the silky purple material covering her body. Slowly and with her eyes never straying from her wife's, she pulled it up, inch by intoxicating inch to reveal pristine caramel skin.

Once the material disappeared over her head, Callie remained still, naked to Arizona's eyes, allowing her wife to drink her in. Normally light blue eyes instantly darkened at the sight revealed to her, the reality of being with the Latina so much better than the dreaming and fantasizing she'd been doing for so long.

Her wife was miraculous.

Breathtakingly stunning.

Unable to hide the fact that she was unabashedly gawking, she allowed her gaze to wander, landing first on full rounded breasts with already hardened peaks before trailing downward to a beautifully tanned abdomen just begging to be worshipped. Eyes drifting further south, she couldn't hold back the growl of appreciation that emanated from her mouth upon witnessing for the first time the dark patch of meticulously trimmed hair at the apex of her thighs.

Finally dragging her eyes away from the glorious body, she looked up to see Callie patiently smiling at her. "Calliope, you are. . ._beyond_ perfect," she shyly stated. "I can't even think of a word to describe how beautiful you are. Beautiful just doesn't seem to cut it. You're just so. . .mmm. . ." she trailed off, at a loss for words.

Blushing at the compliment, Callie briefly ducked her head, not used to hearing such wonderful things. People had called her beautiful before - she'd been called hot or sexy, even - but with Arizona, she knew it was true. With Arizona she could hear the honesty in her voice and see it in her eyes. "Thank you," she finally said, brown eyes flicking up to meet deep blue.

Fingers twitching and feeling her arousal reach new heights, Arizona shifted to mirror Callie's position of sitting up on her knees. "Can I. . ." she asked, reverently motioning toward her wife's body.

Sensing her continued nerves and hesitance, Callie reached out for ivory hands, taking them into her own. She was willing to do whatever she needed to make Arizona as comfortable as possible - whatever she needed to do to make this a night to remember. "Yes, please," she softly replied, covering her wife's hands with her own and bringing them toward her chest.

Moving closer, Arizona allowed her hands to immediately cup full breasts. Taking their weight into her hands, she softly caressed - pushing and pulling - causing Callie to arch her chest further into her palms. Nimble fingers then sought out turgid nipples - flicking and rolling them between her thumb and forefinger. Soon, Callie's pleased moans and hushed gasps filled the room, her hands dropping from Arizona's to land at her sides as her hips unconsciously moved to press into Arizona's.

Sensing Callie's urgent need, Arizona's mouth quickly descended upon the Latina's chest, taking a rock hard nipple into her mouth, pink lips surrounding it as a moist tongue fervently brushed at its tip. Crying out, Callie's hand automatically went to the back of a turban covered head, holding her wife in place. "Oh, God. Arizona. . ." she moaned, her eyes slamming shut, the sensation of finally being with her wife threatening to overwhelm her.

Hearing and feeling her wife's pleasure only served to spur Arizona on as she switched sides, suckling on the other hardened tip as her hands travelled down a silky tanned stomach to trace abstract patterns with her fingertips over the sensitive skin.

Needing to really feel Arizona, to bring her wife the same pleasure she was bringing her, Callie reluctantly forced her away from her heaving breasts, pulling her up and into a searing kiss. Needy hands gripped tanned hips and ivory shoulders, heated bodies gyrating against each other. Arousal escalating and needs skyrocketing, both women breathlessly pulled out of their lips embrace, both desperately ready to experience so much more.

"Baby, I need to see you. I need to feel your skin. I want you. Now," Callie husked, her voice thick with arousal and an urgency she had never before felt.

Swallowing hard, Arizona brought her hands to the edge of her red lingerie, but momentarily paused, her fingers anxiously toying with the seam, a slight surge of embarrassment rising inside her as she stared into chocolate lust filled eyes. She'd never been ashamed of her body. She was hot, and there were women lining up for her, but that was. . .before. Over the last few years, however, since her initial diagnosis, she'd lost a lot of weight, and now, for the first time ever, Arizona realized that she was fearful of what Callie would think of her.

Watching as her wife looked shyly and nervously up at her, Callie instantly knew what the problem was. She didn't want to pressure her, but God this woman was gorgeous, and if she didn't get to feel her soon, she was sure she was going to explode. So, bringing a hand up to cup an ivory cheek, she leaned in, pressing her lips to kiss Arizona's nose, her cheek, and then her slightly parted lips. "You. Are. Beautiful," she earnestly insisted, accentuating each word with another kiss.

Seeing the love and adoration burning in now ebony eyes and hearing those three little words were enough to quell Arizona's apprehension. Slowly and with shaking hands, she pulled the red material up and over her head, fully exposing herself for the first time ever to Callie's lusty eyes.

Callie swallowed hard. "Absolutely. . .beautiful. You are ravishing, Arizona," she stated as her eyes drank in the sight of her wife's bare form placed on display only for her.

Arizona smiled before moving to lie down on the bed, feeling exposed in more ways than one, but trusting her wife more than anyone in her whole life. Realizing it was up to her to take the lead, Callie moved to lie down beside her, her eyes never leaving anxious cerulean ones. "I love you," the Latina whispered before connecting their lips once again.

As they slowly and passionately kissed, Callie's hands moved to rounded breasts, squeezing them gently, allowing her wife the time she needed to feel comfortable. When Arizona moaned into her mouth, she let her fingers flick and pinch rose colored nipples, reveling in the feeling of how they hardened under her touch. Feeling herself start to get worked back up again after a brief pause, Callie ripped her mouth away from now bruised lips before kissing down an ivory chest to immediately envelop a tight peak into her hot mouth.

"Yes! Yes!" Arizona gasped as she tightly screwed her eyes closed, her head pushing back into the plush pillow, her core aching to be touched the longer Callie lapped at her nipples.

Sensing her wife's urgency, Callie released a nipple from her mouth before rolling over to gently lie atop her. Lean legs automatically opened, allowing the Latina to comfortably settle between them. "Oh. Oh, God. You feel. . .amazing. God, Callie. . .you're so. . .so wet," Arizona groaned, feeling her wife move on top of her for the first time.

Mouth falling agape, a gasp fell from Callie's lips as she nodded her head in agreement. "So good. You feel. . .so good, Arizona," she breathlessly murmured, as they both started moving against each other. Licking and sucking her way across her wife's chest, she subtly began to rock her pelvis against the slick wetness between Arizona's legs.

Arizona couldn't stop the loud moan that fell from her lips as she felt Callie thrusting down against her, her own hips moving upward, meeting the sensual rocking of her wife's heated core. Both women moved in sync, their bodies instinctively knowing what the other wanted - what the other craved.

Already feeling close to the edge, Arizona's nerves vanished as one hand clawed at a tanned back, the other seeking out her wife's hand. Locking her gaze onto Callie's, she breathlessly pleaded with her. "I want to feel you inside m-me. P-please, Callie."

"You f-feel so good, baby," Callie mumbled, gritting her teeth as she thrust down again more vigorously. She was racing toward the edge with the need to make her wife unravel, her own need to come only serving to increase her urgency against Arizona's hot, slick center.

"More! Please, Callie," Arizona begged as she tightly gripped at the fingers interlaced with her own.

Growling loudly at Arizona's words, Callie nodded her head, wanting the exact same thing. Gripping the hand that was within her own, she moved ever so slightly to allow room for her free hand to slide down an ivory stomach until she reached her destination. She could feel the heat coming off her wife in waves, and it only served to make her more aroused than she already was.

Heart pounding, Arizona's own hand moved quickly between them, coming to rest on her wife's mound. Feeling the heat and wetness that poured from her, she whimpered aloud, barely able to believe that this moment was finally here.

"I love you," Callie husked as her fingers played lightly in blonde curls, itching to go further - itching to touch what she had been wanting for so long.

"I love you, too. So much," Arizona replied, her own fingers tingling in anticipation. Leaning up as Callie leaned down, their mouths met as tongues probed and massaged.

As if reading each other's minds, two sets of fingers simultaneously slipped between legs, both meeting abundant wetness. Moans tore from each woman's throat, kisses recklessly abandoned as heads snapped back, relishing the moment in which they finally were intimately connected - the moment when fingers slowly glided, inch by incredible inch, inside tight welcoming entrances.

Trying not to rush, though, Callie immediately withdrew, long fingers then moving up and down, teasing Arizona's entrance but not penetrating her for a second time. Smiling as she heard Arizona groan aloud, she repeated the action, moving back and forth, fingers now coated in Arizona's arousal as she let them barely dip inside before moving back out.

"Oh, God! Please. . .inside," Arizona begged, her hips thrusting up as she desperately sought the penetration her body was yearning for. Her own fingers remained motionless inside Callie's core as it clenched around them, her thumb insistently finding a hardened clit. Flicking it once, twice, three times, she loved how her wife's hips jumped with every teasing touch.

"Mmmm, I. . .yes, baby. That feels so good," Callie moaned, her clit shuddering with exquisite pleasure.

Sensing how close Arizona was - witnessing the urgency she too was feeling - Callie made one more swipe of her wife's core before again thrusting two fingers deep inside her opening, causing her to curse aloud, her back harshly arching off the bed.

"Oh, fuck!" Arizona shouted, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. "Yes. . .thank you, thank you," she breathlessly chanted.

Forcing her hips upward, Arizona moved in time with each of Callie's inward and outward thrusts. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw Callie watching her, dark brown eyes nearly ebony with arousal. Momentarily lost in those eyes, she took a moment to gather herself before leaning upward, biting Callie's plump bottom lip as she began to pump the two fingers that lingered inside the Latina, growling loudly into the room at the feeling of such exquisitely tight, wet heat.

"Arizona!" Callie screamed as she felt two lean fingers move inside her, a thumb rubbing light circles over her bundle of nerves.

Soon their bodies found a natural rhythm, moving together as fingers plunged in and out at an increasing rate, thumbs brushing over hardened bundles of nerves and eyes falling shut as their sweat slick bodies finally became one.

"Open your eyes, Arizona. I need to see you," Callie demanded as she felt her orgasm come hurtling toward her.

Sparkling blue eyes opened and locked onto brown, both witnessing the never ending love they had for one another reflected back at them. With their one free hand still tangled together and now resting above Arizona's head, they continued to move in sync.

"I'm s-so. . .c-close. . ." Arizona cried out. As Callie rubbed against that sensitive spot deep inside that made her see stars, she could feel her body racing toward the edge, and all she wanted was for them to jump off together.

"Me too. . .keep g-going. God. . .don't s-stop," Callie begged, her eyes boring into the ones beneath her.

Arizona's slim legs moved to wrap around Callie's curvaceous hips as she rode each thrust her wife was giving her. She could feel her muscles contracting around her wife's deft fingers, her clit hardened and soaking as her body tightened in preparation for its release. Moving her own fingers faster and harder, her thumb treated a slippery bundle of nerves to the most amazing feeling and was rewarded when Callie cursed loudly into the darkened candle lit room. "Oh God! Oh, fuck! Arizona!"

"Oh. . .Oh. . .Ca-Calliope. . ." Arizona nearly sobbed as she felt her control beginning to snap, their moans, whimpers, gasps, and groans mingling together to create a perfect symphony of sounds as they began to fall over the edge together.

"I-I. . .I'm right h-here. Let go, baby. Let go," Callie panted, every muscle in her body tightening as she suddenly came hard around Arizona's fingers.

Thrusting down she pushed her hips into her wife's, freezing as every nerve in her body exploded in pleasure, loud moans falling from her mouth as she convulsed and shuddered in pure ecstasy.

Below her, Arizona arched her back, her mouth opening to release a loud choked scream as her entire body shook, assaulted by wave after wave of soul-shattering intensity. She moved her hips in circles against Callie's, milking every last bit of orgasmic pleasure she could.

Breathless and utterly spent, Arizona felt her body immediately sag, the last ripple of pleasure shuddering through her body. Feeling Callie's hot breath on her neck as her head came to rest on her shoulder, she couldn't help the lone tear that slowly trickled down her face.

Gathering her strength and her breath, Callie looked up, alarmed when she saw tears brimming in blue eyes. "Baby, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Arizona hastily shook her head. "No. . .no. I'm just. . .so happy," she whispered as she carefully pulled her fingers from within Callie, loving the little shudder she felt upon doing so.

Callie gently eased herself out of Arizona before quickly moving to pull a sheet up to cover their rapidly cooling bodies. Searching her wife's eyes, she looked at her questioningly. "But, you're crying," she worriedly stated, gathering Arizona into her arms and pulling her tightly to her chest, making sure to keep their faces close together.

"They're happy tears, Calliope. I-I've never ever felt like that before. It was beyond my wildest dreams. It was amazing. God, baby. . .you made me feel so. . .alive. . .so good. Thank you," Arizona explained before leaning in to capture the Latina's lips.

Sucking Arizona's bottom lip into her mouth before releasing it with a playful pop, Callie smiled at her, sure that her heart was going to burst with the genuine happiness on her wife's face.

"I'm so glad they're happy tears, and just so you know, I've never felt like that before, either. You were amazing, and. . .I love you so much," Callie replied, wanting her wife to know that she felt the exact same way - that she felt it, too.

What they had just done wasn't just sex.

It wasn't just making love.

It was their souls connecting in the most profound way.

It was them truly becoming one.

Arizona smiled, her heart swelling with the love, commitment, and devotion she felt toward her wife. Reaching up to cover her mouth, she attempted to stifle the yawn that overtook her. With a low giggle, a blush rose on her cheeks. "Sorry. I'm sorry."

Callie softly chuckled as she gathered her wife into her arms. "Don't apologize. That just proves that I did my job. I wore you out with the greatness that is making love to me."

Arizona rolled her eyes, though a dimpled grin lit her face. "Oh, don't flatter yourself, my dear," she teased, swatting at a bear arm.

A hearty chuckle emanated from plump lips as Callie gathered her sleepy wife into the security of her embrace. Kissing her forehead, she moved her lips over her temple before settling at her ear. "I love you, Arizona. Thank you for tonight. Thank you for agreeing to be my wife. Thank you for. . ._everything._"

After several moments of silence, Callie closed her eyes, a contented smile tugging at her lips. Believing her wife had drifted off to dreamland, she held her as closely as possible, listening to her breathe.

"Thank _you_, Calliope. You are the brightest light in my universe," suddenly came Arizona's mumbled response, causing Callie to jump slightly at the sound.

"We'll then, _you _are the. . .most radiant light in my galaxy," the Latina contended.

Arizona laughed before leaning up for a gentle kiss. "Could we be any cheesier?"

Callie pecked her wife's nose. "Nope, because we couldn't be any more in love."

* * *

The following morning, Callie blinked several times, fighting to remain in the comfortable abyss she was slowly being pulled from, morning sunlight seeping through the closed blinds of her bedroom. Feeling a surprising, yet familiar warmth against her side, she let out a contented sigh, rolling over to nuzzle her nose against Arizona's neck. Lacing her own tanned fingers through the pale ones of the hand that was haphazardly flung over her waist, she lay silently for several minutes, content to bask in the warmth provided by the plush down comforter and the body snuggled next her.

Leaning up on her elbow, she rested her head in her hand as she stared down at her sleeping wife. Chuckling softly, she placed a gentle kiss on the top of Arizona's shoulder, thoughts of the previous night warming her heart. Last night had been amazing – and not just because they had made love – but more importantly, because it felt as if they had become one. It had been intense, passionate, and mind-blowing, the love and dedication they both felt toward each other only serving to enhance their love making in every way, connecting them both on an entirely new level.

Tracing her index finger over a smooth ivory face, Callie then kissed the top of Arizona's head before extracting herself from the bed, deciding to allow her wife to sleep a while longer before waking her in order for them to return to the hospital. Padding across the bedroom, she entered the bathroom, gently pulling the door closed behind her.

Stepping into the shower, Callie started the water, waiting for it to heat to her preferred temperature before wetting her hair and body under the hot spray of water. Closing her eyes and softly humming to herself as the steam and heat of the shower awoke her tired mind and body, she flinched suddenly when a cool gust of air assaulted her naked form. Opening her eyes, she turned to see her wife stepping in to join her. "What are you doing?" she asked, a sheepish grin on her face.

"Well," Arizona began, stepping behind her and wrapping her arms around her body, ivory breasts melding into a tanned back. "I woke up, and you weren't there," she whispered, placing gentle kisses down the long muscles of the Latina's spine. "I was hoping to wake up in my wife's arms this morning, but I guess she had other plans. I also was looking forward to a repeat of last night, _but_. . ." she trailed off, her fingers grasping at her wife's womanly abdomen before moving upward.

"Mmmm," Callie moaned, loving the sensation of Arizona's hands on her body, palms now cupping heavy breasts.

Arizona grasped at the voluptuous skin, massaging now aching mounds with insistent hands. "You feel amazing, Calliope. God, last night. . .just thinking about how it felt to be inside you. Mmmm. . ." Arizona huskily breathed into her wife's ear, smirking when she felt the taller woman buck back against her. "Last night was incredible, babe. . .but right now. . .right now, I really just want to. . ._fuck you_."

The last two words were spoken in a provocative, hushed whisper that caused Callie to shiver with wanton need. "Arizona. . .God, baby. . .are you sure you're up for that?" Callie cautiously asked, not wanting to completely exhaust her wife before their return to the hospital.

Biting down on Callie's earlobe, Arizona pushed forward causing Callie to fall against the tiled shower wall, hands splaying outward to catch herself. "Jesus, baby," Callie moaned as she felt a rush of wetness surge to her core, Arizona's actions speaking louder than words ever could.

With hands still cupping breasts and fingers playing with hardened nipples, Arizona ground herself into Callie's backside, moaning loudly into her wife's ear. Last night had been all about making love - about forging a connection - something that Arizona's heart had desperately yearned for, but now was all about Arizona simply _taking_ her wife. Right now all she wanted to focus on was hot and dirty shower sex. "Last night, you made me feel so good, baby. . .but, now. . .now I'm going to _fuck_ you. . .and _taste_ you, because I've been dreaming about how you would feel against my tongue. . .and against my lips, and I can't wait any longer, Callie. I can't wait to make you come in my mouth," Arizona suggestively rasped, a sexy grin tugging at her lips as one of her hands drifted down a quivering abdomen to play with trimmed raven curls.

Callie's control snapped, a deep shudder rolling through her body at the thought of her wife following through with her words. Unable to stop the moan from breaching her mouth, she leaned her head forward, her cheek resting against the damp tiles. "P-please Arizona. Fuck. . .p-please," she begged, her thoughts now solely focused on her wife's head buried between her legs.

Running two fingers through the Latina's dripping core, Arizona relished the slick wetness she found there, moaning into Callie's ear at the sensation. "You feel so good, baby," she groaned, one hand continuing to play with a full breast, teasing its turgid peak as the other pressed against a sensitive bundle of nerves, her own body grinding against the tanned one in front of her. All shyness and nerves from last night were gone, and her own excitement was mounting as she held her wife to the shower wall, loving the way she begged and moaned her name. "Turn around," she demanded, stepping back on shaky legs.

Immediately following the smaller woman's command, Callie turned around, her entire body quivering with unbridled need. The moment her eyes locked with Arizona's, she felt herself nearly come on the spot, the heat in those baby blue eyes blazing, causing another round of shivers to involuntarily assault the Latina's body as Arizona moved forward, crashing their bodies together.

"I love you," Arizona whispered, her lips centimeters away from her wife's.

"I lo. . ."

But Arizona didn't give Callie time to finish the sentiment, her mouth descending on plump lips with a hunger that shook the Latina to her very core. Tongues dueled and teeth clashed as one set of hands tangled in long raven locks, the other running over a smooth head, both bodies moving against each other, the water of the shower continuing to spray down upon them as they moaned and gasped into the increasingly steamy room.

Breathlessly pulling back, Arizona devilishly smiled at her wife before leaning back in, first nipping at the sensitive skin covering her collarbone and then moving down to an ample chest where she licked and sucked on rock hard nipples. Moving further south, she caressed a tanned abdomen with her lips, loving the way she could feel Callie's muscles twitch beneath her touch before ending up on her knees.

Five minutes in the shower with Arizona, and Callie was already so close to the edge, only one touch and one kiss from her sexy wife and this strong, classy, Ivy League educated woman was diminished to an expletive cursing puddle of goo. "P-please, A-Arizona. I-I'm so c-close, already. Please," she urgently pleaded.

Brown eyes looked down the length of her own body to find darkened blue eyes twinkling up at her, the sight of her wife on her knees in front of her, making Callie's heart pound harder against her chest. Locking eyes with Callie, Arizona relished the desperate need she saw in the brown orbs she loved so much, and with a quick wink, she moved in, slowly closing her eyes as her hands parted tanned thighs, her tongue protruding from her mouth to slide up the length of her wife's slit for the very first time.

Callie's hips bucked with the contact, simultaneous moans echoing around the shower stall as the Latina's essence exploded on Arizona's tongue. Throwing her head back at the exquisite pleasure, Callie's hands uselessly tried to seek purchase on something to hold her body upright as Arizona devoured her with a hunger like she'd never before witnessed. "Oh, God! Fuck, yes. . ." the Latina screamed as she felt her wife's tongue probing her entrance. Thrusting forward, she nearly lost her footing as she felt said tongue push inside her, a thumb landing squarely against her throbbing clit.

Rubbing furious circles against Callie's bundle of nerves, Arizona couldn't help the groan of pleasure that erupted from her throat as she wiggled her tongue, feeling and tasting everything Callie had to offer. She could feel her shaking above her, hear her panting and gasping for air and could tell that she was only moments away from coming undone - only moments away from coming in her mouth.

Quickly pulling her tongue out of that quivering entrance, she laughed as Callie let out a frustrated groan. "No! P-please don't stop, Arizona," she begged as she thrust her hips forward, seeking the intoxicating friction she desperately needed in order to come.

"Not stopping, baby," Arizona insisted before harshly latching her lips onto Callie's clit as she forced three fingers up and inside her.

"Fuck!" Callie screamed at the delicious intrusion, every single muscle in her body tightening in pleasure.

Arizona penetrated her wife once, twice, and then on the third thrust into her, she sucked voraciously on her protruding clit, causing Callie to climax in a wild burst of ecstasy, her hips uncontrollably bucking forward as her hands shot down her body to hold Arizona's head harshly against her core. "Oh. . .Oh, God! Fuck, yes. . .Arizona!"

Arizona continued to push into her wife, more slowly now as she lapped gently at her sensitive bundle of nerves, lovingly bringing her down from her orgasmic high, Callie moaning her name long and loud as she continued to tremble from the mind blowing ecstasy she had just been treated to. Finally, when the last ripple of pleasure left her body, she couldn't help herself from sliding down the slippery tiles as Arizona gently removed her fingers from within her clenching depths. Head lolling against the shower wall, Callie slowly opened her eyes, a dopey smile plastered on her face. "Shit, baby. That was. . .God, I don't even know what that was," she dumbly murmured as Arizona carefully moved to straddle her lap.

Smiling brightly and looking rather pleased with herself, Arizona leaned forward, capturing her wife's lips with her own. Pulling back, she graced Callie with a breathtaking smile. "You tasted amazing, baby. God. . .I'm never going to be able to get enough of you."

Still dazed from the earth shattering orgasm she had just experienced, Callie lazily nuzzled her nose against a damp ivory one. "You know. . .that just means I'm going to have to return the favor, right? Because there's no way in Hell I'm leaving this apartment until I've had a taste of you, too."

A pleased groan emanated from deep within Arizona's chest. "Well, I'm certainly not stopping you," she seductively purred, pressing her breasts more firmly against the still heaving ones in front of her. "Where do you want me?"

Quickly reaching out for a grab bar at the side of the shower, Callie quickly stood, her other arm tightening around her wife's bottom, bringing the smaller woman up along with her.

"Callie!" Arizona squealed, her thighs squeezing around her wife's midsection as the Latina turned off the shower, a predatory look in her chocolate brown eyes as she moved them out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Still wet from the shower, but unbelievably hot from the powerful orgasm Arizona had just given her, she, as gently as possible, deposited the smaller woman onto the edge of the bed before making herself comfortable on her knees in front of her.

Heart pounding at what she knew was about to happen, Arizona immediately spread her legs, inviting Callie in, her thighs trembling as she looked down at her wife who was staring up at her, eyes darkened, chest heaving. "You ready, baby?" the Latina seductively questioned. "Because. . .mmm. . .I'm hungry," she husked, leaning in and inhaling her wife's aroma, a pointed tongue darting out to lick stray droplets of water from a lean inner thigh.

Arizona's slim fingers immediately tangled in the wet hair at the back of Callie's head, insistently trying to force her in the direction she needed her to go. "Yes! God! Yes, Callie! I'm so ready!"

Laughing sexily, Callie placed her hands on the top of damp thighs before leaning in to take her first taste, slowly and teasingly swiping a flattened tongue from bottom to top. The moment her mouth made contact with her wife's steaming core, she groaned aloud, the vibrations sending Arizona's mind spinning and her body reeling as she fell back onto her elbows, her hips forcefully bucking forward, her heels digging into the side of the mattress.

"Oh! Yes. . .more!" Arizona urged, her eyes falling shut and her mouth falling agape as she relished in the pleasure the Latina's tongue was bringing her. Arizona's body arched harshly, her arms giving out as her upper body landed on the mattress with a bounce. "Oh God, baby. . .more. . ." she husked, her fingers gripping tightly onto raven hair at the back of the head that was now buried exquisitely between her thighs.

Callie again hummed against Arizona's core, her strong arms tugging against her wife's slippery hips to slide her closer to the edge of the bed - wasting no time in devouring her - the taste and the sound of Arizona consuming her. Her hands dug into ivory thighs as she pushed forward, loving how she opened her legs even wider for her. As she deeply forced her tongue into her wife's pulsing center, Arizona's hips bucked wildly when two deft fingers firmly massaged deliberate circles over her erect clit.

Loving the way Arizona's hands grabbed her hair, painfully pulling and tugging as she uncontrollably thrust upward, Callie could tell Arizona needed more, and without having to be asked, she pulled away momentarily before instantly sliding two long fingers inside her entrance as her tongue teased and flicked and bit at a slippery and throbbing clit.

"Faster! Fuck! Harder, baby. . .fuck me h-harder!" Arizona screamed into the room, not caring one bit about censoring herself. This was animalistic and fucking hot, and she was loving every second of it. Throwing her legs over Callie's shoulders, Arizona moved with every thrust her wife gave her, and all too soon she was racing towards the edge, her hands fisting two handfuls of long raven hair as she rode her wife's fingers and face. That talented tongue never stopped licking, sucking, probing her clit - Callie couldn't stop herself, she was ravishing her wife like a starving animal that hadn't eaten in weeks, drinking up every ounce of the heady essence spilling forth from her lover's tight entrance - and when she sharply suckled that pulsing nub between her plump lips, Arizona felt her muscles preparing for her release - toes curling and back arching with wild abandon.

The moment a tanned hand rocketed up her body to grasp her breast, Arizona slammed headfirst into a blinding, pulsing moment of release, her quivering legs immediately locking around her wife's head and holding it in place. Her hips bucked harder into Callie's face as stars burst behind her eyelids with the explosion of rapturous delight that flooded her entire being. Her body completely rigid with ecstasy, she held on tightly to the back of the Latina's head, forcing her wife's face against her as wave after wave of intense pleasure coursed through her body. As her mouth opened in a silent scream, she began to shake, convulse, and tremble, her body spasming beyond her control as she rode the high Callie had just given to her.

Callie continued to stroke her wife with her tongue, slowly bringing her down from her climax. "Callie!" Arizona gasped, her overly sensitive clit pulsing sharply. "Stop. Please. You have to stop," she softly insisted, her legs finally falling away from her wife's head as her arms limply fell to her sides, her body completely dazed with pure fulfillment as it continued to thrum with delight.

Taking a final teasing swipe up her wife's slit, Callie stood from her position on the floor to lie across the bed with her. Pulling Arizona's shivering body into her arms, she gently cradled her before pulling the plush duvet over their still wet bodies. "Oh my God, Callie," Arizona breathed out, her voice hushed as she attempted to draw oxygen into her lungs.

Callie chuckled against her wife's sweaty cheek. "I'm really hoping that was a _good_ Oh my God," she teased.

Arizona swallowed hard. "That was an _amazing_ Oh my God," she replied, rolling onto her side to bury her face in the crook of Callie's neck. Laying in silence for several long moments, attempting to gather the air her body desperately needed, she finally spoke in a raspy whisper. "You know. . .I may never be able to look at you the same again."

Callie's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Arizona softly chuckled, pulling back to lock her mouth with her wife's reddened lips. Tasting herself mixed with a flavor that was purely Calliope Torres, she moaned wantonly. "This mouth - all I'm ever going to be able to picture in my head when I see you from now on - are these lips and this tongue buried between my legs. . .doing deliciously naughty things to me."

Callie's head tipped back with a hearty laugh. "Shhh. . .that's just going to be between you and me. Our little secret."

Arizona seductively pecked at her wife's lips. "It certainly better be."

* * *

An hour later, Callie stood leaning against the bar in the kitchen, sipping from a mug of steaming coffee as she read through a few missed text messages, chuckling softly when she saw them.

_Carter just pissed on the kitchen floor and chewed on my brand new Nike Air Max running shoe. Do you know how much those things cost? You and Robbins owe me BIG TIME!_

Shaking her head, she flicked her thumb across the touch screen, switching from the message from Alex to two left by her best friend.

_It's one thing that Alex Karev lives in my house with me, but your puppy now, too? You owe me, Torres._

_And by the way, if you don't have Arizona back to the hospital by 10am SHARP, I'm calling the police. You've had plenty of time to get your freak on with your wife!_

Closing the text messaging app, she looked up when she heard Arizona emerge from behind the bedroom door. "Hey, babe. Looks like we owe Bailey dinner, and Alex a new pair of shoes. Carter peed on their kitchen floor and chewed Alex's new two hundred dollar. . ." she trailed off, taking in the saddened look on her wife's face. Quickly stepping toward her, she lovingly placed her hands on her shoulders. "Wh-what's wrong, sweetie? Are you sick? Are you okay? What. . ."

"I'm fine, Calliope," she interrupted, waving off her concern. "I just. . .I'm not ready. I don't want to go back. . ._yet_."

Callie nodded her understanding, pulling her wife into a loving embrace. "I know you don't," she whispered into her ear before brushing her lips against her temple. "I don't want you to have to go back, either, but. . ."

"Can we just. . ._walk_, maybe? Just for a little while?"

Callie pulled back, searching Arizona face. "Uh. . .yeah. We can do that," she softly replied, lacing her fingers through ivory ones as she pulled her wife toward the door. "Where did you have in mind?"

* * *

With the breeze gently blowing around them, Callie and Arizona stood at their favorite spot overlooking Seattle, the taller woman standing behind her wife with her arms wrapped lovingly around her midsection.

Both silent as they breathed in the fresh air and reveled in the environment around them, Arizona realized that this place meant more to her than any passerby would ever be able to comprehend, because this spot was. . ._theirs_. It was the place where they had gone on their first _date_. The spot where they exchanged their wedding vows in the city where she had met her soul mate. The city that had brought her the greatest happiness of her life, while at the same time bringing her the greatest heartache.

Because. . .this was this city that she would eventually die in.

Even with such a melancholy thought in her head, it was hard to be anything short of happy, because here she stood with the love of her life - the most gorgeous and kind-hearted woman on the face of the earth - after spending a night making love and a glorious morning filled with sex and cuddles and laughter.

The past two days had been amazing. It meant the world to Arizona to have been able to connect with Callie on such an intimate level, the love, devotion, lust, and need she had seen in her wife's expressive eyes as she made love to her, touching her heart and soul.

Never before had she felt so utterly wanted and complete.

Now though, they only had a few minutes left before they would be thrust back into the real world - her to the hospital to start another round of chemo, while Callie went back to being the badass Cardio God she loved.

"You ready to head back now, sweetheart?" Callie asked, causing Arizona to jump slightly when her voice penetrated the prolonged silence around them.

Arizona shook her head. "Not yet. Just a few more minutes, please?" she quietly asked leaning further back into the cocoon of Callie's arms.

The Latina rested her chin on Arizona's slim shoulder. "Of course, babe," she agreed, turning her head to lay a gentle kiss against her jawline. "What's on your mind, though? I can hear the cogs inside that head of yours turning and grinding," she joked as she held tighter to the smaller woman in her embrace.

Closing her eyes and resting her head back against her wife's shoulder, Arizona breathed in the fresh air, unsure of when the next time - _if _there would even be a next time - she would get to do so. "I'm thinking about how happy I am to have found you. I'm thinking that last night. . .God, Calliope. . .last night was amazing. You have no idea how much it meant to me," said quietly admitted.

Callie tipped her head to the side until their cheeks rested together. "Actually, I do," she softly contended. ". . .because it meant the world to me, too. I loved every second of it - every single moment I got to lay with you, to touch you, to kiss you, and. . .make love to you was. . ._magical_ and overwhelming, but in the very best way."

Bringing a hand up to intertwine with her wife's, Arizona laced their fingers together. "It just confirmed for me how much we're truly meant for each other. I've never believed in fairy tales, Calliope, but now I know they exist because I'm living one right now. With you. Last night completed me. Callie. . .you complete me, and I love you so much," she reverently whispered as a single tear trickled down her face.

Feeling an overwhelming swell of emotion bubble up within her soul, Callie squeezed the hand within her own before placing a gentle kiss against her wife's temple. "You, Arizona Robbins, take my breath away. I've never felt as lucky as I do right now. You're it for me, baby. Now, tomorrow, and forever," the Latina passionately replied, nuzzling her nose into the hollow beneath her wife's ear as she blinked a lone tear from her eye.

Arizona stared out ahead of her, not ready to leave the embrace of her wife's arms wrapped so perfectly around her. Just like the previous night, she wanted to remember this moment - a memory she would cling to as she neared her darkest days.

This would be her light.

This would be her strength.

"Just a little bit longer," she requested, her voice no more than a hushed whisper.

Callie nodded her head, cherishing this special time spent alone with her wife - a moment she would carry with her for the rest of her life. "Whatever you want, baby. I'm not going anywhere."

Sure that the storm was fast approaching, Callie knew this was a moment she would forever hold onto. Because when the rain came and the gale force winds blew, this would be her safety. This would be her shelter. This would ground her when everything in the storm's path had been uprooted and destroyed.

This moment - these memories they had just created - would keep her safe through the storm.

* * *

**AN2: **A little change of pace from previous chapters that we hope you all enjoyed, but be warned - this is the calm before the storm. So, hold on tight. Thanks so much for reading. We look forward to seeing your reviews!


	14. Chapter 12

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

* * *

_**Chapter Twelve**_

* * *

"Damn it, Karev. Get your own food," Miranda Bailey chastised, slapping his hand as he pulled his plastic fork out of her General Tso's Chicken and fried rice. "We may live together, but we sure as Hell aren't married. So, get your own."

Arizona sat with her legs stretched out on her bed, head elevated as she nauseously tried to eat some of the white rice she had requested Callie order for her. The noxious churning sensation deep within her stomach and intestines had become a constant over the past month - a never ending reminder of the chemotherapy drugs that were invading and killing her system. A constant reminder of the drugs that were no longer being administered with a curative intent, but instead only being given in order to simply prolong her life and palliate the symptoms.

Glancing around the room, first at a bickering Alex and Miranda and then toward Callie who sat quietly next to her, aimlessly picking at a to-go container of Moo Goo Gai Pan, Arizona sighed. Had it really been a month since that glorious night and morning she spent being worshiped by her wife and worshiping her in return? Had it really been two months since they spoke their wedding vows, choosing each other to be the ones with which they would spend their lives?

Time seemed to be flying by. Time she didn't have. Time she needed more of to say goodbye to the people she loved more than anything.

"Can you believe Shepherd let me lead on that Medulloblastoma resection on Johnny today? He's only six, Arizona, and he's going to need radiation, but I'm pretty sure he's going to be fine," Alex informed, momentarily pausing in his speech when Arizona didn't offer any response. "Arizona?" he questioned.

Arizona's eyes snapped in his direction as she visibly shook herself from the haze of thoughts running through her mind. "What? Oh. . .that's great, Alex. I'm proud of you," she softly replied.

And she was proud of her best friend. Very proud. . .but for some reason, she found herself feeling. . .jealous, because. . .that should have been her. She should have been the one resecting tumors and saving tiny humans right along with him, but yet she wasn't. She was stuck in this damn hospital bed with a disease that was going to take her life.

Arizona silently chastised herself for her irrational feelings. She'd already accepted this - or at least she thought she had. Why then was it killing her to listen to Alex talk about his day? Why was she so saddened by the fact that everyone else's lives seemed to be continuing while he's had completely come to a standstill? Why was she so upset that the people she loved were thriving and succeeding?

Clearing her throat, Arizona glanced back toward Callie who hadn't spoken much since arriving in their room earlier that evening. She could see the stress etched across her features, the anxiety pouring from her rigid form. She could try to fool herself and say that her wife had simply had a bad day, but she knew better - she knew her too well.

Arizona also was more aware than she would like to admit exactly why she was feeling so guarded about Alex's success. The answer was simple. She and Callie -and their friends - were grieving. They were all rapidly experiencing the stages of grief - not as neat boxes in which their emotions fit into, but rather waves of experiences that continued to ebb and flow with varying intensities.

Why was this so difficult, though? She knew that people working through the different stages of grief sometimes unpredictably bounced around from one stage to another, popping back and forth between emotions such as anger, depression, and acceptance. . .but why her? She was stronger than this. She'd accepted her fate, so why was she feeling this way now? Why now was she experiencing such a maelstrom of chaotic thoughts and feelings?

Alex looked from his best friend toward Callie who also appeared to be in a daze and then back toward Miranda. "How was your surgery today, Torres?" he asked, trying his best to keep his friend and her wife occupied with thoughts other than the ones he knew were burdening their minds. "I saw on the board that you were going to repair an acute papillary muscle rupture."

Arizona quickly glanced toward her wife. "I didn't know that, Calliope. That's pretty impressive, babe. Wh-why didn't you tell me?"

Callie shrugged noncommittally. "I didn't do it. Altman. . .filled in for me." All eyes were now on the Latina as she continued to stare down at her food. Glancing up when she realized too much silent time had passed, her eyebrows raised in question. "What?"

Arizona curiously studied her wife, more worried about her than she was just moments before. "You skipped _that_ surgery? Callie. . ."

"Are you sick? You passed on a surgery that rare?"

"I'd kill for a surgery like that. Are you bonkers?"

Two sets of brown eyes and one set if blue stared at the Latina in disbelief as they rapidly spoke.

Callie immediately felt ganged up on. "It's no big deal. I-I just I wasn't feeling it. I wasn't in the mood, and besides, I had. . . other _things _to do."

Miranda pressed her lips into a firm line, pondering what exactly her super star with a scalpel best friend could have possibly been doing that was so much more important than a ground breaking cardiothoracic surgery. Watching as the Latina stood from her perch at the edge of Arizona's mattress, she opened her mouth to speak, but Arizona beat her to it.

"What's going on, Calliope? Are you okay?"

Callie dumped her food into the trash can in the corner of the room before grabbing Carter's leash and hooking it to his collar. "Let's go, little guy," she stated as she headed toward the door.

"Callie?" Arizona called.

The Latina immediately turned around before slowly stepping back toward her wife. Leaning down, she gently cupped smooth ivory cheeks in her hands before leaning in to lay a gentle yet insistent kiss against moist lips. Pulling back as the kiss slowed to a stop, she lovingly gazed into misty blue eyes. "I'm fine, Arizona. I promise. I'm just going to take Carter out, but I'll be right back. Okay?"

Arizona paused, searching Callie's eyes for any hint of untruth. Finding none, she hesitantly nodded her head.

"I love you," Callie insisted, once again pecking Arizona's lips before turning to walk away.

Watching as her wife disappeared out the door, Arizona sighed, searching her friends' faces for some kind of answers to the questions that assaulted her mind. "I-I. . .she's just not ready. She's never going to be ready."

* * *

Over an hour later, Callie re-entered Arizona's room, setting Carter into his dog bed as she scanned the small area for her wife. Not finding her in either the bed or the nearby wheelchair, the Latina's brow furrowed. "Arizona?" she called as she stepped toward the bathroom. "Where are you?"

Slowly opening the door, she momentarily paused upon seeing Arizona seated on the floor, back resting against the cool tile wall, her head down as she wiped at her face with a cool cloth. Finding her resolve, Callie moved into the small room, quickly kneeling down in front of her wife. "Did you fall? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with fear and concern.

Conflicted sullen eyes immediately snapped in the Latina's direction. "Do I look okay?"

Both women flinched, neither expecting the harshness of that response. Closing her eyes, Arizona began to apologize. "Callie, I. . ."

"I'm going to help you into the shower," the Latina softly interrupted, her eyes shining with more love, care, and compassion than Arizona had ever seen.

"No, Callie. Don't," Arizona beseeched, desperately trying to remain strong in the face of her wife, though unwanted tears defiantly brimmed in her sad blue eyes.

Callie tipped her head to the side, her own chocolate brown eyes silently pleading with Arizona to allow her to help her - begging her to, for once, allow her to be the strong one.

Arizona couldn't hold her wife's gaze, the embarrassment she felt even in front of this woman who loved her more than anyone else ever had, threatening to consume her. Closing her eyes, she blew out a breath, mentally letting down her guard - silently forcing the walls she had erected to tumble to the ground. Slowly opening her eyes as tears began to trickle down her face, she only nodded her head in agreement.

Taking hold of Arizona's arms, Callie moved them to wrap around her neck before bringing her wife up into standing right along with her. Reaching into the shower with one hand as she continued to steady her wife with the other, she turned on the water, adjusting the tap to the appropriate temperature. Turning her attention back to the woman in her arms, she lightly kissed her temple. "Hold onto me, sweetie. I'm going to pick you up and put you in the shower."

Arizona once again nodded, her arms tightening around her wife's neck as Callie lifted her from the floor, carrying her the short distance into the shower before gently depositing her on the plastic tub bench in the corner of the stall. With her eyes never leaving those of her wife, Callie once again knelt in front of her, reaching forward to pull the sweat soaked and vomit stained t-shirt up her torso, the pink scarf covering her head falling away along with it. As Callie reached forward to undo the clasp at the front of her wife's bra, Arizona lifted her hips, tugging on her own yoga pants and pulling them along with her panties down her legs.

After ridding Arizona of all of her clothes, Callie tossed them out the shower door before reaching for the long-handled shower nozzle, pulling it toward them in order to wet her wife's body with the warm flow of water. "A lot different from the last shower we took together, huh?" Arizona ruefully stated, desperately attempting to lighten the melancholy atmosphere surrounding them

A small smile tugged at Callie's lips at the memory, but she didn't speak, her focus solely on caring for her wife. Holding a washcloth under the spray of water, she then lathered it with body wash before hesitantly reaching out to begin washing Arizona's shoulder. As gently as possible, she ran the washcloth over her wife's frail body, the loss of weight appearing more significant now upon seeing Arizona completely naked for the first time in a month. Her ribs were clearly visible, the bones of her shoulders and hips now protruding and replacing once delicate and healthy curves. Trying not to get caught up on her own morbid thoughts, Callie once again took hold of the shower nozzle, rinsing her wife's shoulders and back.

Arizona sat deathly still on the shower bench, intently watching as Callie carefully washed her - so gentle, so careful, and so loving as she cleansed her weary form. Had this been a different situation, Arizona would have thoroughly enjoyed herself. . .but it wasn't.

She was sick.

She was weak.

At times, she could barely move, and her gorgeous wife was putting on a brave face as she cared for her.

This was. . .hard. Excruciatingly so. She never wanted Callie to have to see her like this. This was what she wanted to protect her from. She never wanted her wife to have to bathe her or care for her in any way, but yet. . .here they were.

Arizona didn't even realize she was again crying until she felt the soothing touch of her wife's fingers against her face. "Sweetheart? What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" Callie worriedly asked, her brown eyes boring into tearful blue ones.

Arizona opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find her voice. Shaking her head, she brought a trembling hand up to wipe the tears from her eyes, feeling silly for crying. She felt terrible for making Callie so apprehensive and fearful. Her heart ached at the pain she could see hidden beneath the concern present in her wife's magical eyes, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stem the flow of her tears.

Here she sat - naked and exposed - as helpless as a newborn child.

It was embarrassing.

It was infuriating.

It broke her heart.

Not caring one bit that the water was now raining down on her fully clothed body, Callie moved closer to her wife, her jean clad knees soaking up the water on the tiled shower floor. Placing her hands at the sides of Arizona's ivory face, she forced her wife to look at her, the pain in those stormy blue eyes piercing like a knife through her heart. "Arizona. . .please tell me what's wrong, baby," she urged, hating the sight of her wife in tears.

Taking a deep breath and trying mightily to control herself, Arizona looked into the Latina's eyes. She saw the debilitating sadness that reflected how she felt, but she also saw. . .love.

Never ending, unwavering love.

"I. . .I hate this. I h-hate that y-you have to take care of me like a-a-a child. I hate that y-you have to see me like this. So. . .weak. . .and-and so u-ugly," Arizona tearfully sobbed.

Callie's eyes widened, her heart painfully pounding inside her chest upon hearing her wife's sad admission. Moving in between Arizona's parted legs, she kept her hands on her tear and water dampened face. "Look at me, Arizona," she quietly insisted, further saddened when her wife only lowered her head.

Shaking her head within Callie's strong hands, Arizona refused to make eye contact with her.

This was all so overwhelming - the terrible reality of her situation slamming home.

Refusing to budge, Callie raised her voice. "Arizona Robbins! Look at me this instant!" she firmly demanded.

Hearing the change in her wife's tone, Arizona's eyes betrayed her mind and her conviction, soon glancing up to find the chocolate brown eyes of her wife.

"You are not a child. And you are most certainly NOT ugly. You are the most beautiful, miraculous, gorgeous. . .breathtakingly stunning woman I have ever seen. No matter how much weight you lose. No matter how much weaker you might get. In my eyes, you will never be anything but perfect," Callie passionately stated. "And, I _never_ want to hear those words come out of your mouth again. Do you hear me?"

Arizona could only stare at her wife, at a complete loss for words. Her heart ached at the pain she saw in Callie's eyes. It was all-consuming, and Arizona swore that she could feel the distress and pain the Latina was experiencing overtake her already weakened form and disheartened soul.

But, in that moment, she also saw Callie's strength.

Strength she hadn't previously given her credit for.

Strength that had always been there, but strength that Arizona had been too proud and too steadfast to let shine through.

Staring into those beautiful chocolate eyes, Arizona felt something shift. She felt herself letting go. Of her fears. Of her control. Of her staunch commitment that she _had_ to be a good man in a storm. She was letting go of all of this and finally _truly_ letting Callie in. She was letting her comfort her - letting her see her at her worst - letting her be the strong one when she was too weak to do so.

Finally finding her voice, Arizona spoke the only thing she could - the only thing that portrayed all she was truly feeling. "Thank you, Callie."

The Latina smiled, nodded slightly, and then leaned up to place a gentle, yet passionate kiss against her wife's lips. Leaning back on her heels, she squeezed more body wash onto the washcloth before continuing to wash her wife's legs and feet.

As she watched her wife work, Arizona's glistening eyes lit with more respect, love, and appreciation than she ever thought was possible to feel toward another human being. "You know. . .I could wash your back, too," she quietly suggested.

Smiling, Callie glanced up from Arizona's legs, her eyes twinkling with her own unshed tears. "Oh yeah?" she teasingly asked.

Arizona tentatively reached out, tugging at the hem of her wife's shirt until it was pulled up and over her head. Briefly allowing her eyes to roam her wife's delicious form, she leaned forward to lay a kiss beneath Callie's earlobe. "Turn around, babe," she softly whispered.

Following her wife's simple command, Callie closed her eyes, finally allowing the tears to fall as Arizona removed her bra and began to lovingly wash her back. She reveled in the compassion and gentleness of her wife's touch, savoring this time spent together.

That night in the shower, they realized that there was nothing that could truly prepare either of them for this loss. All they could do was feel how they needed to feel and cry when they need to cry. They needed to be gentle with each other's hearts and lean on others when they needed to. Acceptance was a process, and it was going to take time, but eventually, they would find their way.

* * *

The following morning, Arizona lay in bed, her stomach continuing to churn after vomiting for what felt like the millionth time in the past twenty-four hours.

She was tired.

Her body ached.

She just felt like overall crap and not just because of the chemotherapy, but today, she was feeling nauseous for another reason entirely. This nausea and unease were present because. . .she had made a decision. Since the previous night as she allowed Callie to help her in the shower, she hadn't been able to stop thinking.

Truthfully, thinking was really all she ever did - especially over the past month. With nothing else to do, her mind rarely ceased processing, planning, and thinking about her situation - about everyone in her life.

She hadn't discussed this most recent revelation with anyone just yet, though. Not even her wife. She'd spent the better part of the last two weeks fighting with herself about her decision, internal battles raging within her all the time, but finally, last night, everything had become so clear. She'd made up her mind, and now she just had to discuss this with all the right people.

Arizona knew that Callie should have been the first to know, but she just couldn't bring herself to go there right now. Not yet. So instead, she decided to start with the most obvious, the person who, out of the three people she had regular contact with, would be the least affected.

Her doctor.

Miranda Bailey.

"Morning, Arizona. What can I do for you today?" Miranda asked as she breezed into her patient's room.

Struggling to sit up, but waving off Miranda when she tried to help, Arizona finally managed to elevate herself into a more upright position. Turning to face her doctor and her wife's best friend - not to mention her own best friend's roommate - she closely scrutinized the short-statured woman, trying to anticipate what her response to her revelation would be.

"I promise I won't bite," Bailey joked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "What's up?"

Arizona briefly closed her eyes before quickly snapping them open. "I want to. . .I've decided to stop chemo," she blurted out.

Miranda's dark brown eyes immediately went wide with surprise. "You what? Why?" she asked, clearly shocked by her patient's words.

Arizona swallowed hard, willing herself to keep her emotions in check. "Today is going to be my last session. It's just. . ._postponing_ the inevitable. It's not curing me. It's only making me weaker. . .and I don't want my last months to be like _this_," she informed, trying desperately to make her doctor understand. "I-I'm so tired. Exhausted. I'm so sick I can barely move. I'm. . ._struggling_, Bailey. . .and I want to stop. It's not a cure. We've tried, but there is no cure. The chemo. . .it's not going to _save_ my life," Arizona stated, every single emotion she was experiencing obvious in the tremble of her voice.

Miranda sat still, surprised, but not completely shocked by Arizona's words. As her doctor, she wanted to encourage her to continue with their treatment plan, but as her friend, she understood exactly what she was saying. "Arizona, this is a huge decision. I assume you've talked to Callie about this? And that she agrees?" she asked, although the guilty look on her patient's face spoke volumes to the contrary.

Arizona shook her head. "I-I haven't told her. . ._yet_."

Miranda's eyes widened. "Arizona, she's your wife. She deserves to be part of this decision. You need to talk to her," she encouraged.

"And, I will. I'll talk to her, but. . .well, I'm not sure she's ready. I know she says she's accepted this, but I. . .I'm afraid she hasn't. I'm afraid. . ."

"Have _you_?" Miranda quickly interrupted.

Arizona's brow furrowed. "Have I what, Bailey?"

"Have you _accepted_ this?"

Arizona sighed, shaking her head. "I. . ._have_. I did. Well, I thought I had, but. . .this doesn't have anything to do with me," she tried to deflect.

"This has everything to do with you, Arizona."

Arizona sighed, becoming more and more frustrated with not only her doctor, but with herself, as well. "I just. . .I keep flip-flopping back and forth. I'm completely at peace with it one minute, but then. . . I'm having a good day, laughing with Alex or-or kissing Callie, and I find myself in complete denial, and then I get. . ._angry_. I want to accept this. I know I need to, but this. . .the chemo just isn't helping matters. It's giving everyone false hope and once it's no longer a factor, this will be easier on all of us," Arizona surmised, her eyes and voice heavily laced with the distress she was experiencing.

"And your wife doesn't get to have a say in all of this?" Miranda skeptically asked.

Arizona rolled her eyes. "I. . .she does. It's just. . .you saw how despondent she was yesterday. She's putting up a front, but last night, something. . ._shifted_ between us. I-I literally felt her pain, Bailey. I. . .it consumed me. It. . .how can I continue to hurt her like that?" Arizona asked, desperate for someone to just tell her how to do this. "I know this is the right decision, but hurting Callie more than I already have. . .will kill me, and I'm just not quite ready for that."

Shaking her head, Miranda focused her attention on the frail woman in front of her. "Do you really believe Callie hasn't accepted this?"

Arizona paused before responding, carefully considering her words. "I. . .I think she's trying, but it's hard. It's hard for everyone. I think she's trying to be brave for me, but I'm not sure she's there, yet. I really believe that as hard as this will be on her, and as much as I don't want to hurt her, this decision. . .will help. Not just her, but all of us. Stopping my chemo treatments will help all of us accept that this is _real_. I'm going to die, Bailey, and it's going to happen. . ._soon_," she admitted as tears slipped down her pale ivory cheeks.

Letting out a long breath, Miranda stood from her seat. Placing a gentle hand atop one of Arizona's, she carefully and considerately regarded her. "I'm not going to try to change your mind. When it comes down to it, this is your decision, Arizona. But, please. . .just remember that Callie loves you more than anything - more than _anyone_. She's also stronger than you think she is, so. . .give her a chance, Robbins. Just, talk to her. Let her know what you're thinking and give her the opportunity to do the same," Miranda finished with a gentle pat to her hand before turning to exit the room, leaving Arizona alone to ponder her words.

* * *

An hour later, Arizona's mind raced as she quietly sat in the infusion center with Alex sitting next to her, keeping her company as he thumbed through one of his patient's charts.

Glancing around the small curtain area, Arizona felt rattled, the conversation she had just had with her doctor causing a multitude of mixed emotions to assault her every thought. She wasn't sure she was ready to talk to Callie about stopping her chemo, but Miranda had made some good points. On some level, she knew that her wife had accepted this - or at least on the surface she had. If she was in denial before, their time spent in the shower the evening before surely had given the Latina a horrible dose of reality as she gently and lovingly cared for her when she was too weak and ill to do so herself.

Callie did deserve to be a part of the decision - to offer opinions on the subject - even if ultimately, the decision was hers alone. She would talk to Callie. She would let her know of her decision and discuss it with her, but when it came down to it, she herself would make the final call, and she knew her decision had already been made. Knowing her wife would be the most difficult to break this news to, starting with Alex seemed the easier option.

Clearing her throat, Arizona reached out to lay her hand on his white lab coat clad shoulder. "Alex, I. . .uh. . .I have something I want to tell you," she hesitantly began as she turned in her chair to fully face him, worried how her normally stoic best friend would react.

Looking up from the chart to give Arizona his undivided attention, Alex turned his stool in her direction. "Sure. What's up? It's not girl problems is it? Callie's great, but you know I don't do girl problems," he joked.

Quietly laughing and appreciating his humor, Arizona shook her head before looking him straight in the eye. "No, Alex. It's not girl problems," she softly began. "It's just. . .I've decided that. . .this chemo session will be my _last_. I'm stopping chemotherapy after today," she informed, pausing to gauge his reaction. Receiving no response other than, a blank stare she bravely continued on. "I'm tired of being so sick all the time. I hate that you and Callie have to constantly care for me. I'm tired of living on the bathroom floor with my head in the toilet. I hate that I can't just sit with my wife or-or kiss her without having to bolt from the bed to throw up. I hate that I can't play a game of cards or watch a DVD with you without falling asleep after only twenty minutes. I. . ."

"I don't know what you want me to say here, Arizona," Alex interrupted after carefully listening to his best friend's recent revelation.

Arizona couldn't hold his gaze. Looking down at her lap, she aimlessly fiddled with the IV needle and tubing piercing the top of her left hand. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want. I just wanted to let you know. . .because you're my best friend," she quietly replied.

Reaching his hands to her gaunt cheeks, he gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "You know that the chemotherapy helps extend your life, right?"

Arizona only nodded. Of course she knew that.

Alex shook his head. "I'm not so sure that it's a wise decision, Arizona. I mean, have you spoken to Callie? What does she have to say about this? Maybe we could look into that trial I was telling you about last month, or the one at the University of Pennsylvania, or-or. . ."

"Alex. . ."

He knew he had no say in this, but Arizona's decision to stop treatment was huge, and he desperately wanted to make sure that it was the right one - and that it was the right time. "No, Arizona. . .I'm just saying, I know it's not pleasant. I know that, but. . ."

But whatever he was going to say was never heard as Arizona grasped his hands at the sides of her face, shaking her head. "It's not helping, Alex. I'm too weak, and I'm too tired to handle it any longer. I'm sick all the time. I've been stuck in bed more than I've been out. I can't continue like this. I just _can't_. Please try to understand why I'm doing this, Alex. Please," she begged.

Alex shook his head, immediately jumping up from his seat. "You told me you weren't giving up! You promised you wouldn't give up," he snapped as Arizona's heart painfully raced against her chest at the sad desperation she heard in his tone.

"I know I said that, but I can't do this any longer. I'm not going down without a fight, because I _have fought_, Alex. I've been fighting for over two years, and I-I know that I have everything to live for - everything I've ever wanted - but I can't carry on like this," she insisted, pleading with him to understand. "You know as well as I do that if I stop now, my quality of life will improve. . .at least for a while longer, and I want that, Alex. I want to be able to be with my wife without being sick. I want to be able to laugh and goof around with you without losing my breath and having to lie down. Can you please try to understand that, Alex? For me?"

A few minutes ticked by, silence consuming them. Finally calming himself, Alex slowly returned to his seat. Reaching out to take her hands into his larger ones, he swallowed hard, forcing down the lump of emotions gathering in his throat. "Of course I understand, and I support you, Arizona. Of course I do. More than anything, I. . .I want you to be happy, and if this is what makes you happy, then I'm in your corner. I've got your back."

Smiling for what felt like the first time since she'd woken up that morning, Arizona gently tugged Alex closer to her. When he was close enough, he placed his arm around her shoulder as she leaned in to rest her head on his chest. With his arms holding her close, her rested his own head on top of hers. "I'm really looking forward to not having my head stuck down the toilet every hour," she joked, trying to ease some of the still lingering tension, knowing how hard this was for her loved ones.

Nodding his head, Alex didn't say anything in return, only holding his best friend close to him, knowing that all too soon, he wouldn't get the chance to be with her like this. Kissing the silky blue scarf at the top of her head, he pulled her closer, relishing this moment and promising himself that from now on, he would cherish and hold onto their time spent together.

* * *

"I'm sorry I'm late, stupid surgery ran. . ." Callie halted in her stride, looking around the small hospital room that had recently become her home. "Wh-what. . .Arizona? What's all this?" she asked, glancing toward the small table in the middle of the room - two candles flickering brightly, the table set for two with a beautiful flower arrangement adorning its middle with a bottle of her favorite Pinot Noir awaiting nearby.

Arizona propelled her wheelchair closer to her wife, reaching out her hand to take one of Callie's into her own. Laying a gentle kiss against tanned knuckles, she looked up at her wife, her cerulean eyes twinkling brightly with the flickering flames of the taper candles on the table. "Happy two month anniversary, Calliope," she whispered, a seductive grin on her face.

Callie stood speechless, her gaze flitting around the room. "H-how did you do all of this? Can we even have wine and candles in here? Did Bailey? Is the? What about. . ."

"Slow down, babe. It's okay," Arizona interrupted her wife's ramble, chuckling softly to herself. Pulling the Latina along with her, she wheeled herself to Callie's chair, pulling it out for her before moving herself to pull her wheelchair up under the table across from her wife. "Bailey, Alex, and I took care of everything. I spoke with Chief Webber. You have tomorrow off, so he said you certainly can have a glass or two of wine. . ._and_ it seems that batting my eyes a few times at Frank the maintenance man was all it took to get him to disable the smoke detector in this room for the evening."

"Hmm," Callie hummed with a smile. "Should I be jealous?"

Arizona softly giggled as she insistently shook her head. "Not in the least," she joked, reaching forward to remove the silver cloche cover from her wife's plate before doing the same with her own. Sitting them to the side, she sighed as she looked into Callie's deep brown eyes. "I thought we should. . .I wanted to do something special for you, tonight, Calliope. I just. . .I don't get enough opportunities to show you just how much I love you, so. . ."

Callie reached across the table, placing her index finger against her wife's moist pink lips "I love you too, Arizona. . .and you show me how much you love me each and every day just by being in my life. That. . .that's all I need."

Arizona tilted her head to the side, a lone tear slipping from her eyes. "Hey. . .no stealing my thunder!" she insisted, hastily reaching up to wipe away the moisture from her face. "I did this for you, but then you have to go and outdo me by saying something like that."

A hearty laugh fell from Callie's lips. "It's all true, my dear," she replied before glancing down at her place. "So, what do we have here?"

Arizona cleared her throat, picking up her knife to point at the food on their plates and the serving dishes around them. "Umm, well, for the first course, we have shrimp with mango salsa, then an apple walnut salad, and then. . .Pork Wellington with sautéed asparagus."

Callie smiled, glancing up from the food laid out before her. "And for dessert?" she asked with a sultry smirk on her face.

"Hmm. . .well, that's for me to know, and you to find out."

* * *

Pushing back her plate and wiping the corner of her mouth with a cloth napkin, Arizona smiled across at her wife who sat slowly sipping from her glass of wine. They had eaten their meal in mostly comfortable silence, exchanging a few words here and there, but for the most part they hadn't talked - simply enjoying the time spent together. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but it certainly didn't make what she was about to tell her wife any easier, because despite the smiles Callie had been flashing her throughout their meal, she could feel the Latina's inner turmoil from across the small table. Something had been off with Callie lately and apart from the obvious, Arizona wasn't sure how to reach out to her wife.

"That was lovely. Thank you, sweetie. I really enjoyed it," Callie spoke up as she placed her glass on the table, reaching across to hold her wife's hand.

Arizona smiled, lacing her fingers through caramel ones. "I'm glad," she simply stated, squeezing Callie's hand. "We deserved to do something nice, even if it was just a simple meal in this tiny room," she continued, smiling as she brought her wife's hand to her mouth, placing a kiss against its smooth skin.

Callie smiled, offering her wife a coy wink of her eye. "I should clean this up, and then we can lie down together. You look tired, sweetheart," she offered, standing from her seat to begin tidying up the small table.

Taking a deep breath, Arizona carefully stood, moving herself to the bed. Once settled comfortably on top, she reached her hands out to her wife. "Callie. . .that can wait. I'd really like to talk to you about something."

Stopping her task, Callie looked up at Arizona, noticing the way she nervously worried her bottom lip between her teeth. With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, she hesitated, looking from side to side as she briefly pondered the possibility of escaping despite how awful that thought was.

Noticing her wife's nerves and the way she skittishly looked around the room, Arizona sighed aloud. "Please, baby. Come sit with me."

Not being able to deny her wife anything, Callie nodded her head, moving to lie on the bed next to her. Side by side, legs automatically tangling together, their faces came to rest only inches apart as they took a moment to breathe each other in. Arizona was the first to move, bringing her hands up to frame that beautiful face she loved so much. Holding Callie's gaze, she sweetly smiled before leaning in and capturing her wife's lips with her own.

Experiencing that all too familiar feeling of butterflies dancing in her stomach, Callie pressed herself further into the kiss, opening her mouth for Arizona's tongue as it sought entry. They kissed with passion, hands on faces, bodies pressed firmly together until they were forced to separate when the need for oxygen burned at their lungs.

"I love you, you know. . ." Arizona quietly stated as she rested her forehead against that of her wife.

"I do. . .and I love you, too. So much, Arizona," Callie reverently replied.

Knowing there was no more time to put off the conversation they needed to have, Arizona gazed at Callie with all the love in the world as her hands continued to frame tanned features. "I. . .I want to stop chemo," she blurted out, internally cursing herself for the bluntness with which the words slipped from her mouth.

Eyes widening and pulling back from their close embrace, Callie shook her head. "Wh-what?"

Sensing that the Latina was about to run from the heartache she could see written across her every feature, Arizona reached out to grasp Callie's arm, hating the cloud of emotions she could see brewing in her expressive brown eyes. "I want to stop chemo. It's. . .I. . .it's not helping, Callie, and I don't. . .I _can't_ keep feeling like this all the time. I don't want to do it anymore," Arizona stammered, her voice sounding more unsure than the determination she felt inside.

"Are you asking me, Arizona? Or telling me?" Callie asked, her tone short.

Swallowing hard, Arizona moved to sit up. Once upright, she reached for her wife's hand, momentarily afraid the Latina wasn't going to give it to her, but when she did, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm. . .I want to hear what you have to say. I think this is a decision we need to make together, but at the same time, I need you to hear me when I tell you that this decision is ultimately mine, and that I. . .I'm not going to change my mind. I want to stop," Arizona firmly stated. "I value your opinion, Calliope. . .above anyone else's, but. . ."

"I don't know what to say. What do you want from me, Arizona?" Callie sharply interrupted, her mind working overtime in an attempt to process this news.

Arizona squeezed her wife's hand. "I-I want to know what you're thinking. I want to hear your opinion on this. I want to know your thoughts."

Knowing Arizona needed her to open up and be honest, Callie quietly sighed before bringing her gaze up to meet those blue eyes that made her feel so whole and so loved. "Well, of course I want you to continue treatment. I. . .this. . .I know it's hard. I get that, but. . .I just. . .I mean. . .it's helping," Callie stumbled through, her own words sounding ridiculous to her ears.

Shaking her head and hating that she would have to yet again hurt her wife by saying words that would cut through her, Arizona more firmly gripped the shaking tanned hand within her own. "It's _not_ helping, though. It's only. . ._extending_, Calliope. I hate this, I do. . .but we've talked about it. I'm dying, Callie, and. . .soon. We've _accepted_ that, and I just think that the time has come to _stop_. We need to stop all treatments in order for this all to really sink in," Arizona insisted as calmly as possible, hating the flinch from Callie that came upon hearing her words.

Feeling her heart painfully pounding against her chest, Callie wanted to burst into tears, or rage, or. . ._something_ at her wife. She wanted to tell her she had no right to stop her treatments - no right to give up when she needed her to live, but one look at her face, one look into those beautiful blue eyes, and she couldn't do that. She couldn't hurt Arizona, not when what she was saying made sense. Not when the doctor in her knew why her wife wanted to stop her treatments.

Callie closed her eyes, exhaling a long breath through pursed lips. Just like the previous night in the shower, now was a time when she needed to step up and be brave. Now was the time to show her ailing wife that she could be what she needed her to be - that she could be her wife's good man in a storm, so that she could. . .let go.

Slowly opening her eyes to momentarily stare into the azure depths of the woman she loved, Callie swallowed her emotions - her wants and her needs. "I don't want you to continue if you don't want to. I understand it's hard, sweetheart. The side effects alone. . .I-I'm not blind. I see what this is doing to you, but we have to be honest with ourselves. We have to ask ourselves two things," she spoke, finally finding her voice and her inner strength.

Feeling some of the tension wane upon hearing Callie's response, Arizona wearily nodded her head, indicating for the Latina to continue.

Callie cleared her throat, pulling her wife back down to once again lie face to face with her. Wrapping her arms around Arizona's waist, she pulled her as close to her as possible. "Is continuing treatment going to make a significant difference in the progress of the. . .leukemia?"

Arizona didn't blink, mightily holding her wife's tearful gaze. "No, Callie. It's not."

Callie slowly nodded, gently running a trembling hand over her wife's smooth ivory face. ". . .and, if we discontinue treatment can we expect the nausea, the pain, and other side effects to diminish?" Callie asked, desperately trying to look at this from a more medical standpoint - as a doctor and not a wife.

Arizona swallowed hard as she continued to listen to her wife. This all felt so. . .surreal. Like this wasn't her life. Like for an instant, maybe she wasn't dying - like perhaps, she was in the middle of her internship on her way to being a kick ass surgeon, talking about a case, but a quick look into the pained brown eyes before her was all it took for that brief fantasy to disappear.

This wasn't just any patient - this wasn't just any case they were working on together.

This was her.

This was their life.

"If we stop treatment, now. . .I think we can expect the side effects to lessen. I'll still be. . .sick, and-and I'll lose weeks. . .a month maybe, but my quality of life will improve. I need that, Calliope. I don't want to be so sick that I can't keep my eyes open. I need to be able to see you. . .to touch you. . .to kiss you. I w-want to be able to do as much as I can with you. Before it's too late," Arizona solemnly answered.

Trying mightily to keep her tears at bay, Callie moved to envelope Arizona further into her arms. She already knew the answers to these questions. She'd known for weeks, just like she knew that her wife had been seriously pondering discontinuing all treatments. "I hate it, but you're right. The treatment is no longer achieving results. It's just making you. . .sicker and weaker, and I. . .I can't bear it. I hate seeing you in so much pain," she softly insisted, leaning forward to nuzzle her nose against the cool one in front of her. "So. . .I'll support you, if this is what you _really_ want."

Arizona closed her eyes, resting her head on Callie's shoulder. "Thank you, Calliope. I know this is hard, but this is what I really want," she stated, repeating her wife's words.

Callie pressed a gentle kiss against Arizona's lips. "Okay," she simply stated.

"We've still got t-time, though. R-right?" Arizona shakily asked, reveling in the safety of the strong arms holding her so tight.

A silent tear slipped down a perfect caramel cheek. "Of course we do," Callie whispered as more moisture cascaded down her face. "I love you, Arizona. So much. So, so much."

Arizona closed her eyes as her own tears quietly fell. "Me too, Calliope. Me, too."

* * *

Later than night, Callie awoke with a start, her head anxiously turning from side to side as her trembling hand immediately reached out in search of her wife. Quickly finding the familiar warmth nestled up against her side, the Latina' heart rate slowed, her rapid breathing returning to a more normal rhythm.

Grabbing her phone from the bedside table, she flicked it on, noting the time to be just after three o'clock in the morning. Staring up at the ceiling of the darkened hospital room, she dropped her hand back down to her side, exhaling a deep, cleansing breath. Resigning herself to the fact that she wasn't going to be able, nor did she want to return to the land of such fitful dreams, she rolled onto her side, gently caressing her wife's forehead and cheek with the slightest whisper of a touch.

Momentarily content to watch Arizona peacefully sleeping, Callie couldn't help the silent tears that began to fall. She couldn't do this. She couldn't just sit back and watch her wife die. It was just too much. She needed to do _something. _

Hastily wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she kissed Arizona's forehead, then gently pecked her nose before laying the briefest of kisses against her lips. Carefully exiting the bed, she grabbed a tissue from the nightstand to dab at her damp cheeks. Slipping on a pair of UGG boots, she then pulled on an oversized hooded sweatshirt, quickly covering her chilled t-shirt clad upper body.

Padding across the floor, she took a seat at the small table in the corner of the room that had become her makeshift office area ever since _moving in _with Arizona two months before. With the moon casting a silvery glow over her wife's face, Callie found herself staring at the miraculous vision sleeping soundly on the bed.

They needed more time.

They _deserved_ more time.

She loved Arizona Robbins fiercely, and she planned to be with her forever. No matter what she or anyone else thought.

Flipping open her laptop, Callie immediately typed a familiar address into the URL box. Once granted access to the website, she allowed the mouse to hover over a link that she had desperately wanted to enter so many times before. With a deep breath, she clicked the left mouse button, intently watching as the site popped up.

_Request for Clinical Trial Admittance_

_Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Health System_

Allowing her eyes to scan down the page, she noted that there was still indeed one spot available in the clinical trial she had been painstakingly researching for so long that she practically had the details of it memorized.

_Protocol ID - UPCC 04409. A Study of Redirected Autologous T-Cells Engineered to Contain Anti-CD19 Attached to TCR and 4-1BB Signaling Domains in Patient With Chemotherapy Resistant or Refractory CD19+ Leukemia and Lymphoma._

Aimlessly drumming her fingertips against the keyboard, she glanced back up toward Arizona, sending a silent prayer to God or anyone else who was listening that what she was about to do would pay off for them in the end - that this one little untruth was one worth keeping from her ailing wife. Entering the application form, she began to type in her wife's personal information. "I won't give up on you, Arizona," she reverently whispered. "I just can't.

* * *

**AN: **So, Callie has something up her sleeve. Will it be too late to save Arizona? How will Arizona feel if she finds out that Callie has gone behind her back? Thanks so much for continuing to read and review. Your support for this story has been overwhelming, and we look forward to reading what you think. Your reviews and comments are always welcome!


	15. Chapter 13

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it. We can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **It has come to my attention that someone with too much time on their hands has decided to use my name to flame stories on FF. I would like to state here and now, that any reviews that anyone may receive that have my name on them and are NOT signed in - ARE NOT from me. Those who know me, know that I have an account, and that I ALWAYS sign in when reviewing. I do not leave one-lined, rude, and offensive reviews. I apologize to those caught in the crossfire. ~Funkyshaz57

**AN2: **Just a little note to let you know that this chapter will be the end of what happened in the _past. _After reading this, you will be up to date with the prologue. The next chapter will pick up from where the prologue left off. I really, really hope that makes sense, and please. . .ENJOY!

* * *

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

* * *

**Miranda's POV**

_Death and love seem to be the two topics that universally captivate the imagination - that consume the soul - and I've learned a lot about both since my time at Columbia University Medical School. As a student and then as a doctor, I've had the opportunity to experience love, but more importantly, I've had the time to think long and hard about the process of death and dying. _

_When I was a first year med student, I was introduced to death through a cadaver, typically one per student or two students per cadaver. The cadavers came from body donations and were introduced to us anonymously before we spent months treating them as an object of learning rather than seeing them as human beings - rather than allowing them to invoke an emotional response deep within. _

_Most doctors view death as a defeat of what they are trying to accomplish and typically, we use denial to our advantage. Death is something that we've learned since the first day of medical school to ignore, to avoid, and to dismiss. While it exists around us in every form, we go about the day with our backs to it, holding our breath when it's heavy in the air. We allow denial to create a protective facade to help us get through some rough spots in our practice, and because of this, in the life and training of a doctor, a little emotional blunting is acquired. These two techniques - denial and emotional blunting - have gotten me through many cases, allowing me to remain composed when facing grotesque situations. _

_When dealing with overwhelming odds. _

_When suffering heartbreaking losses. _

_As a physician, I find that I'm more afraid of death than normal non-medical healthy people, and I suspect this is because I've subconsciously entered the profession in order to beat out death by preventing others from dying - by being more powerful than the Grim Reaper. But, when a doctor is told they might have a terminal illness or when a friend or loved one is close to dying, shear panic usually is the result, the painstakingly practiced and built up emotional blunting stripped away. Some of the aloofness and callousness that so many doctors are known for disappears, and if we have the chance, we finally begin to really live. _

_We - I finally have begun to see and experience things as they really are. _

_With my heart and not my head. _

_The Bible says, to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. _

_There is a time for everything, but we know things happen out of season. _

_Even death. _

_My patient, Arizona Robbins is only thirty-one years old. She is beautiful. She is full of life and promise. Her impending death - I just can't wrap my head around it. It's just. . .way out of season. _

_For me. _

_For her. _

_For her parents. _

_For her best friend. _

_For her wife. _

_Even for a doctor, death is a very mysterious thing - it makes me ponder not only the remorse I feel for my loved one, but death itself and what it truly means. I've noticed that some can discuss death very openly and very candidly while others feel very uncomfortable talking about it. No matter how we all react when the time comes, we will all be there for one another, because. . ._

_. . .although it's difficult today to see beyond our sorrow, hopefully looking back in memory will help comfort our tomorrow. Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, but love leaves a memory no one can steal. . ._

Quietly entering Arizona's room, Miranda felt a heaviness in her heart that she hadn't experienced in several years. This woman lying so still in her bed wasn't just her patient - she was her friend, and more than that, she was her _best friend's_ soul mate, her lover, and her wife. This woman was Callie's. . ._something_ - she was what made her bounce up and down, but now. . .now she was going to die, and Miranda couldn't help but feel more than a little responsible for that. More than a little guilty, because Arizona was her patient. A patient she had spent countless hours trying desperately to save.

But unfortunately, she had failed, and by her estimation - in her professional opinion - she knew that it wouldn't be long. A week, maybe less, but no matter how much time Arizona had left, it wasn't enough. She was going to leave this earth before she ever had the chance to make her mark. Before she had the chance to save the lives of so many tiny humans who needed her to be the kick ass pediatric surgeon she was destined to be. Before she had the chance to see Paris, or buy a house with a lovely garden of her beloved peonies surrounding it, or have perfect tiny humans of her very own.

Stepping further into the room, Miranda carefully took the seat next to Arizona's bed, her left hand reaching out to rest upon her pale forearm. Had it really been only six weeks since she had made the decision to stop all treatments?

As sleepy blue eyes fluttered open, a small smile crept onto her face. "Hi," Arizona rasped out.

"Hi," Miranda quietly replied, her hand now gently caressing the smooth skin of her patient's arm. "Can I get you anything?"

Arizona shook her head, her eyelids heavily falling shut as she swallowed against the dryness in her mouth. Miranda reached for a plastic cup on the bedside table, guiding the straw toward chapped lips, watching carefully as her patient took small sips. Pulling it away when Arizona nodded, they sat in silence for several long moments before Miranda felt compelled to speak. "Arizona, I. . .I'm sorry. I-I wish I could have done. . .more."

Azure eyes blinked, Arizona's head shaking. "There was nothing more you couldn't have done, Bailey. This. . .this isn't your f-fault," Arizona insisted, her voice no louder than a hushed whisper. "You're a doctor. You know that you can't save. . .everyone."

A lone tear escaped Miranda's eye before she bravely pushed it away with the back of her free hand. "I'm struggling here, Arizona. . .to manage my feelings. This - you're not just anyone. You. . .you're so much more, and I feel like a failure. I'm so ashamed. I feel like. . ." She trailed off, knowing that she shouldn't be doing this, but she desperately needed Arizona to know that she wasn't taking this lightly - that she wasn't _just_ a patient.

"I understand why you feel guilty, but y-you shouldn't. It's not. . .your fault. No matter how much you may think it is. It's okay, Bailey. You may not have been able to save my life, but there's one thing. . .there's something I need you to do for me," Arizona paused, reaching out for Miranda to help her up into more of a sitting position. Once she was upright, with pillows propped up behind her and the head of her bed elevated, she found the strength to continue. "Take care of them for me, please. Alex a-and Callie. Please. Promise me you'll make sure that they have the strength to carry on. That they actually _live_ their lives. That they don't. . ." she trailed off, reaching to her side to grab the oxygen mask she had begun to use more and more over the past week, her fatigued body now frequently tormented by periods of severe shortness of breath.

"I'll try my best, Arizona. I'll do everything I can."

Arizona nodded in understanding, pulling the mask away from her face in order to speak. "Thank you, Bailey. Not just for this, but for. . .for _everything_. I wouldn't have made it. . .this far. . .without you. I wouldn't have had this extra time to spend with Alex a-and my parents. I wouldn't have gotten to-to marry the woman of my dreams," she hesitated, a mischievous smile curling at her lips. "And if anyone can whip those two into shape once I'm. . ._gone_, it's you. They don't call you. . ._the Nazi_. . .for nothing."

A choked laugh emanated from Miranda's chest, more tears brimming in her sad, dark eyes. Reaching out a shaky hand, she rested her palm against the side of her patient's face. "You got that right, Robbins. Their asses are mine."

* * *

**Barbara's POV**

_When our baby girl called us just six weeks ago, Daniel and I both knew the reason - it's a parent's intuition to know and to sense those kinds of things about their child. So, we booked our flight, and while we planned to stay in a hotel for the remainder of. . . for an indefinite period of time, our daughter-in-law was kind enough to offer her apartment to us, insisting that it was just across the street from the hospital and that it had become a place for her to simply do a load of laundry or to take a quick shower before returning back to my daughter's side._

_Arriving in Seattle just three days after Arizona's call, I was shocked to see how much she had changed in the two months we had been gone, but there was a twinkle in her eye and just something completely contagious about her spirit. Her acceptance of what was ultimately going to happen to her was obvious, and in some way, that strength and courage relieved and abated my tortured heart. _

_Witnessing that temperament - that spark - instantly transported me back to happier times. A time when an eight year old girl with sparkling blue eyes and two braided blonde pigtails stole the last chocolate chip cookie from her ten year old brother before running out our kitchen door and into the back yard, her infectious giggles the only evidence of her presence in the top of the old oak tree she disappeared up into. _

_Looking in on her now, as she frequently holds an oxygen mask over her face while talking to her father, it's hard for me to believe that we are in this place - that in a few short days, that little girl - my daughter who has grown from that ornery little eight year old into the most beautiful and tenacious woman I have ever met, will be. . .leaving this earth. That she will be taken from me without any good reason whatsoever, just like her older brother was, only two years ago. _

_It's been said that there is no loss greater than that in the loss of a child, and I certainly have to agree, but the loss of two children. . .is debilitating. It is heart wrenching and unfair. It's needless. It is the absolute worst thing that could ever happen to a parent, and as I glance at my daughter who is now laughing at something her father just said, I am struck by how differently Daniel and I are experiencing and metabolizing our grief. It seems that while I have been consoled extensively by our friends and other family members, he, at times, seems a little lost in the grieving process._

_Daniel and I have struggled with our grief and the differences in how we grieve from the very first day we learned of Timothy's death, to more recently when we found out that Arizona's chance of survival was daunting. We are different people, but we're both broken. Where Daniel has coped by staying busy and trying not to think about it, I'm the opposite. I need to talk. I need someone to help me make the pain go away, and I desperately want that person to be Daniel, but how can he do that for me when he is in the same horrific place? How can he do that when he is struggling with his own pain? How can I look to him for comfort and strength when all I see reflected in his bright blue eyes - the same beautiful eyes inherited by both of our children - is heartache._

_Just like with everything else he has ever done in his life, my husband views the mourning and grieving process as a challenge or a test that he must overcome - that he must win. To "win" this challenge, he often remains quiet with a hint of humor to his demeanor as he attempts to mask his ultimate fear. This allows him control over his vulnerabilities, protecting him from an emotional breakdown. Where I have cried and screamed and begged God to not do this - to not take away my only living child - Daniel only expresses his grief in solitude. . .and in silence, his outlook on the situation jovial at times while trying to comfort myself and Arizona._

_People are always quoting the statistics on how few marriages survive the death of a child. When I factor in our extraordinary circumstances - the loss of not only one, but two perfect, beautiful, miraculous children - I really begin to wonder if Daniel and I will be able to hold on. Our lives changed so dramatically when Timothy died, but Daniel and I carried on. We pushed through for Arizona and for each other. Now though, I worry that we won't be able to do that - that we won't be able to come back from this. _

_I love Daniel very much. That part hasn't changed. For that reason, and for the love of our gorgeous daughter and our heroic son, and the family that I cherished, I am holding on to my husband and to the idea that we can survive this. But, I have to admit. . .it's not easy to do. When something this terrible happens, how do you make your brain process the loss? How do you make the ache in your chest disappear? How do you find the strength to carry on?_

"No more blonde jokes, dad. That's not even fair," Arizona said with a slight chuckle, glancing in Barbara's direction as she quietly entered the room. "I need reinforcements here, mom. I'm getting a complex."

Barbara smiled as her eyes moved between her daughter and her husband. Daniel's eyes were so sullen - so lifeless - that it caused her heart to ache even more than it had persistently done for the past six weeks. Taking a seat on the opposite side of Arizona from her husband, her eyes met his from across the bed.

Arizona's own tired eyes darted between her parents - their heartache evident in their every breath, in their every word, movement, and action. Reaching out, she joined Daniel's left hand with her mother's right, resting them over her abdomen as she laced their free hands into her own, her action causing the two to break their stormy gaze in order to glance in their daughter's direction.

Clearing her throat, Arizona drew in a deep breath. "I need you both to promise me something," she whispered, her eyes weary, but determined. Barbara and Daniel looked back toward each other, a silent understanding communicated between them before they looked back at their daughter, both slowly nodding their heads. "Please. . .please don't let. . ._this. . ._tear you apart. Don't let. . ."

"Arizona, please. . ." Daniel hastily interrupted, his usually strong voice cracking as he quickly looked away from his wife and daughter. Desperately trying to remove himself from the situation, he started to stand, but the grip of his wife on one of his larger masculine hands and that of his daughter on the other, forced him to stay - to not hide from his heartache. Reluctantly sitting back down, he nervously glanced around the room before his gaze flicked back to the gaunt face of his beautiful daughter.

When Arizona was sure that she once again had both of her parents' undivided attention, she softly, but firmly spoke. "Don't let the fact that I'm going to. . ._die_ ruin your marriage. I know it was hard. . ._so_ hard for you to carry on when Timothy died, but. . .you did. You did it because you have the strongest marriage I've ever seen. The kind of marriage you see on TV or-or in movies. . .in fairy tales. Th-the kind of marriage I. . ._wanted_. W-with. . .Callie. The kind of marriage that. . ." she trailed off, tears welling in her eyes, her breath becoming more labored.

Disentangling her fingers from her daughter's, Barbara quickly grabbed the oxygen mask at the side of the bed, gently bring it up to cover Arizona's nose and mouth. "Here, baby girl. Deep breaths. . .deep breaths," she softly instructed as a tear streaked down her own cheek to land on the hand that remained firmly grasped within her husband's.

Arizona's trembling ivory hand reached up to replace the older woman's as that motherly hand that had provided her with such strength and comfort in so many situations for so many years moved away from the mask to gently wipe the tearful moisture from her cheeks.

Closing her eyes, Arizona reveled in the touch. It soothed her. It reassured her. It reminded her of years before when she had reached out for that hand, or a leg to grasp onto, something tangible that she could rely on to be there for her, to take care of her, to nurture and to love her. Her mother's touch was the embodiment of trust. Of reliance. Of love. That caress so often throughout the years, teaching her how to receive love, how to be made whole after suffering hurt and disappointment while growing up, showing her how to be healed when the world was so cold.

Leaning into the palm that now rested against the side of her face, the younger woman brought her father's hand that remained laced with her own up toward her cheek until it mirrored her mother's against her skin. Finally catching her breath, she slowly opened her eyes as she removed the oxygen mask from her face, the sensation of her parents touch against either side of her face threatening to overwhelm her already fragile heart. "Please. . .just promise me. . .that you'll stay together. That you'll keep in touch w-with Callie and Alex. I love you too much to let you suffer alone, a-and they're here for you. . .and I need you. . .to be here. . . for them."

Never losing contact with his wife or daughter, Daniel stood, leaning over the bed to rest his lips against Arizona's forehead. "God, Arizona. We love you so much. You're the bravest person we've ever met. . .and I am proud - _we're_ so proud to have had the opportunity to be your parents," he adamantly stated, his eyes damp with unshed tears. Pulling away slightly, he moved so that he could hold his daughter's gaze. "And. . .we promise. We'll be strong, Arizona. For you and for ourselves. For Callie and Alex, because they. . .they're our children, too. We won't let you down, sweetheart. Not now, and not ever."

* * *

**Alex's POV**

_I usually walk around with an attitude. I pretend things don't affect me. I'm a tough guy, and I don't get upset. I don't cry, my heart doesn't break. . ._

_Except for now. _

_Losing Arizona will be, without a doubt, the most difficult thing I've ever had to face, and I've tried to be strong. I've tried to tell myself that the best thing for me to do is to keep her memory alive in my heart, because that's the best way to honor her - the best way to show her how I truly feel. I've tried to keep my calm, I've tried to convince myself time and time again that I'll get through this, but it's all been bullshit. _

_I'm just not there._

_I know that at this point in time, I'm supposed to have accepted the fact that she's going to die, but as I stand here outside her room, looking in on her through the large glass window, I don't feel peace. I don't feel acceptance. I don't feel comfort. _

_All I feel is anger. _

_Anger because the most decent human being I've ever known is going to be taken from me. I feel devastated. I feel numb. Arizona Robbins - my best friend and my rock - the only person in my life who never judged or abandoned me, the one person who has loved me even when I couldn't love myself. . .is dying. Not next week or next month or next year, but literally dying right before my eyes._

_People I know don't die at thirty-one. That's crazy. Those stories are someone else's. The kind of stories you read about in a newspaper or see on the news, and when you read them - when you see that a thirty-one year old wife, daughter, and best friend has died. . .it's sad. It's sobering. When it is your best friend, though, there are no words. There's just a dull fog. There's numbness. There are tears that come of their own accord. We are in the prime of life. We are stable. We have lives. We have careers. We have a future. Now, though, all I'll have are memories, and there are a lot of them, to be sure, but I want more. So much more._

_I've been a medical professional for a while now, and as much as I've tried to distance myself - to look at this as a doctor - I just can't. This isn't just any old patient. This isn't just a case. This is personal. This is my best friend. _

_Death is something I've grown accustomed to seeing, but this - this is different. No amount of time, preparation, distancing, or knowledge could ever prepare me for this. We got a few good weeks after she stopped her treatments, and we spent what limited time we had reminiscing and laughing - creating new memories that I will take with me when she is gone. _

_We ate pizza. We watched Disney movies. She kicked my ass at Snap a million times. _

_We were. . .us. _

_Arizona and Alex. _

_Best friends._

_I've never been an emotional guy. I don't wear my heart on my sleeve. I don't tell people I love them. Those things just aren't in my nature, but I've spent every single day of the past six weeks making sure Arizona knows how much she means to me. I've made sure she knows just how much of a difference she has made in my life. _

_Because it's true. Arizona Robbins changed my life. She changed me. She made me the person I am today, but now - now I have to let her go. I have to walk into her hospital room, sit down and look into her blue eyes and say goodbye to my very best friend in the entire world._

_Standing here, I watch as her eyes instinctively find mine through the glass of the window. Even now, as frail as she is and as sick as she has become, her smile is still the same. Bright. Shining. Radiant enough to light up a room and make my heart bleed because in this moment, I've never been so fucking broken. My heart has never felt so sad. _

_It's a struggle to breathe. It's a fight to stay standing. It's a battle to not run to her and cry, begging her to not leave._

_Taking a deep breath, I shakily smile back before moving toward the door of her room, knowing that this may be the last conversation I ever have with her. Knowing that these last few moments with her will be the hardest moments I'll ever have to face._

"Hey you," Arizona spoke, her quiet voice carrying around the room, the oxygen mask she'd been using more consistently over the past week sitting loosely in her hand.

"Hey. . ." Alex replied as he pulled up a chair next to her bed, unsure of what else he was supposed to say.

He had no idea how to do this. No idea how to say goodbye.

"No. Come sit here. . .with me, Alex. Please."

Hesitating only momentarily, Alex nodded his head before carefully easing himself onto the hospital bed next to his best friend. As his larger hand automatically tangled with Arizona's smaller one, he felt his throat tighten, his eyes watering before any words were spoken.

"I know what you're thinking you know. . ."

Giving a noncommittal shrug, Alex momentarily remained quiet, terrified that if he opened his mouth, he would start sobbing with no ability to stop. Finally finding his voice, he shook his head. "That I won't be able to go on? That without you, I'll have no one? That without you here, I won't go anywhere?" he ruefully asked, his eyes directed downward, never once meeting her gaze. "If that's what you think I'm thinking, then you'd be correct."

Arizona only smiled slightly as she squeezed his hand.

Feeling her gentle, yet insistent support, Alex raised his head for the first time since he entered the room. His eyes found those of his best friend as his tears began to fall before he could think to try and stop them, his heart breaking at the look of love and sincerity on Arizona's face. He wanted to be strong for her, but when she looked at him like that, it was damn near impossible as his throat constricted more and more with each falling tear. "I-I. . .you're the only one who has ever loved me. My own mother didn't care enough to look after me. My f-father abandoned me. I h-have no one except you, Arizona. . .and n-now. . .you're leaving me," he freely cried, the ache in his heart so painful that he swore it was literally being ripped to shreds.

Arizona sighed. She knew Alex like the back of her hand. He was always so hard on himself. He always failed to see himself as she did. "You're mother and father were fools, Alex. They missed out on seeing what an amazing man you've turned out to be. You, Alex Karev. . .are the most l-loyal, caring, honorable man I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. You've been my best friend, m-my rock, and my. . .brother, and I couldn't love you more if I tried. You're going to go on and make me proud. You're going to become an amazing pediatric surgeon. You're going to. . .soar, Alex. Because. . .You. Are. Great," she sincerely replied, her own tears long since brimming in her eyes and falling down her face.

Staring into his best friend's eyes, Alex allowed himself to let go. He allowed Arizona to see the full extent of his grief. There was no time for stoicism - for pretending or for being tough, and as he fell against the bed, Arizona's hand landed in his short brown hair and stroked gently as he cried. "It's okay. It will be okay, Alex. I promise," she soothed as she combed her fingers through his hair. "And you. . .you're not alone. You have Bailey and my parents. . .and-and Callie."

Minutes later, Alex's tears had yet to cease, but he somehow managed to find the strength to control himself enough to speak. Sitting up, he took both of Arizona's hands into his own, automatically smiling when she smiled lovingly up at him. How could she be so strong? Even now in the face of death, how was she able to make him feel worth something? "I-I need you to know that you. . .mean everything to me. You're my best friend, Arizona. I'm grateful you took a chance on me. You changed me. You made me a better man, a-and I. . .love you. I have no idea how I'm going to go on without you, and I wish I'd told you that I loved you more. I w-wish that I could take your place. God, I wish that this wasn't happening, but I love you, Robbins. I-I'm not ever going to forget you. Not ever," he managed to choke out before his breath hitched, his heart painfully thudding against his chest, the biggest sense of loss he had ever experienced deeply consuming him.

Because. . .this was it.

He was saying goodbye to his best friend.

Using what little strength she had left, Arizona weakly pulled herself up, wrapping her arms around Alex's broad shoulders and hanging onto him for the last time, none of their previous embraces more important than this. Resting her head on his chest, she quietly cried as she clung to him. "Promise me you'll look after Callie. D-don't let. . .don't let her. . .waste away," Arizona begged, her words broken by the overwhelming emotion she felt inside.

Arms tightening as he felt a vice grip squeeze at his heart, Alex nodded. "I-I promise."

"I l-love you, Alex Karev. Always remember that. You promise me you'll go on and b-be great. Promise me. . .you'll live. Promise me. . .swear it to me, Alex, that you'll always remember how much you meant to me," Arizona hoarsely whispered as her tears soaked through his shirt.

This was it.

She was saying goodbye to her best friend.

"I promise, Arizona. I promise."

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

_Saying goodbye to Bailey, to my parents and to Alex was painful, but nothing compares to the final goodbye that awaits me. _

_Calliope. My dear. . .sweet. . .beautiful Calliope._

_Saying goodbye to her - it's something that, even now in my last days, I find I have no idea how to do. But. . .I know I need to be strong. I have to do this. I have to say everything I'm feeling, everything I'm thinking. . .before it's too late. I can't leave this earth unless I'm sure my wife knows just how much I loved her._

_Dying is well. . .it's a difficult struggle, and I think part of that struggle is fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of an unknowable future. Part of it may even be the urge to fulfill unmet obligations or to be relieved of past regrets or guilt, but mostly, I think for me, it's my natural resistance to the thought that everything I know is changing - that it's all coming to an end. _

_Maybe my struggle in dying is because I still have the will to live. Maybe it's just a survival instinct, but whatever it may be, I know it's a powerful primal force that has given me amazing resilience. With the will to live, I've overcome unbelievable odds, but unfortunately, my death can't be held off forever, and eventually - soon - my physical life here on Earth is going to come to an end. _

_I can feel it within myself. _

_My body is giving up on me._

_It has become a struggle to keep my eyes open._

_A struggle to breathe._

_A struggle to live._

_With that realization, I've finally been able to enjoy what little time I have left, and when I truly grabbed onto it and allowed myself to really accept it, I realized that I was no longer afraid. Not of dying, at least. Not anymore. _

_Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my brother. Of his strength, of his courage, of the way he approached everything head on without looking back, and those thought and memories have brought me strength, have given me courage I didn't know I possessed, and now, I'm no longer scared of death, but instead, I'm scared of letting Callie go. I'm terrified that when I go, she will die right along with me. I don't want that for her. I need to know that she'll be able to one day move on. _

_To be happy._

_To find love again. _

_And that thought. . .hurts like Hell. _

_The thought of Callie being with someone else, of marrying and having children with anyone other than me is a painful concept to swallow, but more painful than that is the thought that my wonderful, beautiful, amazingly kind-hearted wife will live her life alone and in pain - that she will die inside and be immobilized by her grief._

_I know this is going to be impossible. I know there's never going to be an easy way of doing this - of saying goodbye to Callie and asking that she move on without me - because I know that no matter what I say to her, her grief will be too big, to all-consuming for her to understand. Nothing I can ever say will comfort her, but I have to try. I can't leave this world without asking her to do this for me because if this journey has taught me anything, it's that everyone needs to live life to the fullest, to take opportunities when they present themselves, to live and love when they have the chance._

_I know Callie will never forget me - that she will remember me for the rest of her life, because we made footprints on each other's hearts. We found love in the most unlikely of places. I truly believe that our love transcended everything above and beyond, but I know that one day - when the pain has lessened and when she can finally breathe again - that she will find another, because she deserves to be loved._

_To be cherished._

_To be given all the things that I will no longer be able to provide._

_My wife has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met. She loves completely and without remorse, and I can only hope that when the time comes for her to open up that wonderful, big, beautiful heart to someone who is deserving of her love, that they will be gentle with her. That they will be gracious toward me. That they will be understanding of the fact that a large part of who Callie is will forever be interwoven with me and all the love that we shared. I can only hope that this person will encourage her to lean on them through difficult times, be strong for her when she needs strength, to balance her when she is unsettled._

_To love her. _

_To grieve with her._

_To celebrate with her. _

_To give her grace._

_To make her once again smile that heart-stoppingly radiant smile that I love so much._

_As my visitors have come and gone today, as I've said my goodbyes, I've watched Callie watching me - keeping her eye on me through the window like there's something she so desperately wants to say, but hasn't figured out how. _

_She looks lost. _

_She looks lonely. _

_She looks sad, and the fear evident in her magical chocolate eyes is literally breaking my heart. I know she's trying to be respectful, trying to give me time with my friends and with my parents, but damn it, I need her. I need her here with me. _

_I need to talk to her. _

_I need to tell her everything that's on my mind. _

_I need to make sure she knows exactly how I feel._

* * *

Callie anxiously sat at the nurses' desk right outside her wife's door, intently watching as visitor after visitor entered the room. She desperately wanted to be in there - with Arizona - spending every last moment she could with her, but she knew she needed this time.

Time to say goodbye.

To the doctor and friend who had painstakingly attempted to save her life. To the parents who had nurtured her and raised her and been there for her for the past thirty-one years of her life. To the best friend who had been in her corner through thick and thin.

She knew she would have her chance - her time to spend with the woman she loved more than anything in the world - but in all honesty, she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready to say her goodbyes, and as she sat staring at the computer screen in front of her, she was sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she would never be.

She just couldn't.

Arizona was her other half. Her lover and her wife. She was her life.

How could she possibly say goodbye?

One week after Arizona decided to stop all treatments, Callie began a leave of absence from the residency program at Seattle Grace Mercy West. She was warned that she would have to make up the time missed, but she didn't care. She needed all the time she could get to spend with her wife before, well. . .she still couldn't bring herself to _think_ it, let alone _believe_ it. There was just no way, so during the past five weeks, when not spending every possible moment with her wife, the Latina continued to research and to read and to pray that she could find a treatment that would prove successful in saving Arizona's life.

That strict regimen - that process of continuing to search - was what led her to the computer screen just now. Because. . .today was the day. The deadline for acceptance into the clinical trial at the University of Pennsylvania that she was sure was going to work.

It just had to.

Callie hadn't told a single person what she'd done in the wee hours of the morning just six weeks ago - she hadn't admitted to anyone that she'd gone against her wife's wishes by entering her into a clinical trial. She just couldn't. She didn't want to cause a rift between herself and her wife if there was no reason to do so, and she certainly didn't want to needlessly get anyone's hopes up if she wasn't accepted into the study. She felt guilty, but she tried to push past that because what was done was done, and there was nothing she could do about it now.

Moving the mouse to the SGMW website icon, she clicked the left button before hesitantly entering her email login and password into the available text boxes. She had to re-enter several letters over again more than once, her hands nervously trembling so badly that she could barely type. Once again resting her hand on the mouse, she aimlessly tapped at the button as she took a deep breath.

It was now or never.

She would have an email confirming Arizona's entrance into the study, or one declining her request.

Clicking submit, she quickly closed her eyes, unable to look at what was there. After several moments, however, she hesitantly re-opened them, her gaze quickly scanning over the various emails in her inbox. She searched and searched for that one very important message, her mind only able to focus on finding an email from . She scrolled down the page. . .

No email.

Nothing at all.

No I'm sorry.

No thanks for your time.

No kiss my ass.

Nothing.

"Fuck," Callie murmured under her breath as unwanted moisture brimmed in her tired chocolate eyes. She shook her head, looking up to the ceiling in an attempt to force the tears back inside. Glancing back at the computer screen, she scrolled back up and then back down, hopelessly searching for that one email she so desperately needed to find. "Come on, come on, come on," she mumbled, still finding nothing.

Brusquely pushing back from the computer, she grabbed her phone, the Penn Medicine Contact Center's phone number the second contact programmed into her speed dial. When a voice on the other end picked up, Callie nervously drummed the fingertips of her left hand against the arm of the chair. "Yes, hi. My name is Dr. Calliope Torres. I'm a cardiothoracic surgeon at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, and I was wondering if I could please speak with Dr. Stephan Porter at the Abramson Cancer Center. I. . ."

Callie rolled her eyes when she heard the response to her inquiry. "Yes, this is the _same_ Dr. Torres who called yesterday, and the day before that," she admitted, the frustration and agitation evident in the tone of her voice.

_And every single day for the past six weeks_, she thought to herself.

"Well yes, I'm sure that Dr. Porter _is_ very busy, and I know you told me that I would receive an email, but today is the deadline, and I haven't received anything."

As the woman on the other end of the line spoke, Callie glanced up at the clock. It was just after eleven o'clock in the morning. According to the person she was speaking to, there were still six hours left in the business day and that it would be best if she wait.

Clearing her throat, Callie shook her head. She didn't have time to wait. She literally had no time at all.

Sighing, she again closed her eyes. "I. . .umm. . .I apologize for my impatience. Thank you for your time." And with that, she slid her thumb across the touch screen to end the call.

Standing on shaky legs, she glanced through the window of her wife's hospital room to see that Arizona was finally alone.

She still had six hours to wait before she could fix this.

* * *

**Callie's POV**

_I haven't allowed myself to think much about this day, because every time the thought filters into my mind, my world feels like it's being tipped upside down. My heart aches. My stomach churns. _

_I feel weak. _

_I feel powerless. _

_I feel lost. _

_I'm confident that there is no event in life that will ever be as painful as this. When I consider what happens next, I'm uncertain if I'll be able to survive this overwhelming loss, and at times, when I've allowed myself to ponder the rest of my life without Arizona in it, I'm not sure if I'll have the energy or desire to try to heal. I've begun this journey of losing her, and it's frightening. _

_It's overwhelming. _

_It's lonely as Hell. _

_I've denied this day for as long as I possibly could, but as I stand here watching my beautiful wife sleep, her chest still rising and falling with every breath she takes, her frail body now supported by supplemental oxygen, I know without a doubt that I can no longer hide from it._

_I can no longer pretend that everything is going to be okay._

_Because. . .my wife - the other half that makes me whole - is dying._

_In six weeks, I've watched her slowly deteriorate before my eyes. I've watched as the woman I love more than life itself has slowly slipped away from me, leaving me in a state of complete and utter devastation. I can no longer deny it. I can no longer pretend not to see it, because over the past month and a half, she's lost more weight than I even care to admit, her bones protruding beneath her now ashen skin that lacks the golden glow it once had. Worse than that, though. . .are her eyes. Those beautiful blue oceans that once twinkled with humor, love, compassion, and grace now appear lifeless, sunken and missing that sparkle that instantly drew me to her not so many months ago. _

_She's mostly been confined to her bed for the past three weeks, at times, too weak to move, too tired to eat or drink on her own and with each passing day, I've felt a tiny piece of myself slowly die right along with her. _

_Even in this dark time, I've continued to treat my wife as I have for the past nine months, because, well. . .she's still here. She's not gone yet. I've continued to kiss her, to hold her, to bring her flowers on an almost a daily basis, my desolate heart hoping beyond hope that she can feel my love and affection while her own fading heart is still beating. I need her to understand the deep emotions I have for her, but until now, I've not been able to do so by expressing my feelings, instead choosing to show her through my actions instead of my words. _

_I know this isn't the time to bottle up my emotions or to allow denial, hurt, or guilt dictate my actions, but when I try to talk about what is happening - with her or anyone else - I find myself completely debilitated by my grief. Every day is just such a struggle to breathe that I have no idea how to say the words I know I need to, so instead, I've spent every day attempting to provide comfort and a sense of peace to her._

_She's spent the greater part of today saying her goodbyes, because deep down. . .she knows. She knows there is no time left, and I know. . .I know she wants to say goodbye to me, but I'm not sure I can let her do that. I'm not being unrealistic. I'm not hiding. . .I'm just unable to comprehend how to say goodbye to her. What was once unimaginable, now must be imagined. What once seemed strange and awful - what still seems strange and awful - must now be given a place in my life. I'm in completely unknown territory. I've never done this before, and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. _

_I'm unsteady. _

_I'm unsure. _

_I don't know how to let her go. _

_From outside her room, I watch her chest rise and fall, the steady beat of the monitor indicating that her heart is still beating. My mind just cannot comprehend how - in a few short days - she will be gone from my life. . .forever. I've searched inside myself and dug deep. I've prayed. I've talked. I've thought, and I've tried, but no matter how deep I search, no matter how often I pray. . . _

_I can't tell her goodbye. _

_I can't let her go._

_Entering the room, I move to immediately sit in the chair beside Arizona's bed. Leaning in close, I pick up her hand, holding it between my own. It's still warm, and it gives me comfort if only for a second. Minutes tick by as she continues to sleep, my eyes never once straying from her face. I've spent months memorizing her features - committing everything about her to memory - and as each second ticks by, I feel my resolve slipping._

_It's just too hard. _

_It's too painful. _

_I'm in agony. _

_I'm sitting here, holding the hand of the woman I love, and in my heart, in my mind, and in my soul, I know without a doubt that I'm going to lose her. _

_There's nothing more I can do. _

_I've run out of time._

_Tears fall without my permission when I feel the gentle clink of our wedding bands rubbing together. _

"_Can you just. . .can you live? Can you live? For me? Please? Live for me. . ."_

As if sensing her distress, Arizona's eyelids slowly opened, beautifully fluttering for a second just as they did on any normal day.

_"_Calliope. . ."

"Arizona. . ."

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Arizona asked, her brow furrowing as she watched her wife softly sob at her bedside.

This day had been coming for weeks, and yet Callie was still unable to accept it. She couldn't speak, the answer to that question was obvious, and she knew that her wife was more than aware, but she still didn't know what she could say.

So, she just cried. Heart wrenching sobs breaching her parted lips as tears thickly obscured her vision, her heart painfully breaking with each breath she struggled to draw in.

Weak and tired, Arizona mustered the last remaining ounce of strength within her to try to comfort her wife. "Come lay with me, baby. I want to hold you," she quietly requested, feebly tugging on her wife's hand, the sight and sound of Callie's distress deeply wounding her soul.

Longing for the feeling of her wife's arms wrapped around her, Callie willingly climbed up onto the bed, immediately burying her head in the crook of her wife's neck. Thin, pale arms wrapped around her waist as Arizona rested her head upon raven locks, her wife's frame shaking in her arms and with every sob. "I love you, Calliope. So, so much. I c-can't even begin to explain what you mean to me. . ." she tried to soothe as her own tears began to fall. ". . .and I need to talk to you, okay? A-and when I do, I need you to hear me. I need you to really listen."

Callie adamantly shook her head that remained buried in her wife's neck. She knew what was coming, but she couldn't hear it. She couldn't listen to Arizona say goodbye to her. She was hanging on by a mere thread and with each passing second, with every tear she felt drip from her wife's face to land on her own cheek, that already tattered thread frayed a little more.

"Please, Calliope. You and I both know that I don't have much time," Arizona softly implored.

"Oh, God. No! Please, Arizona. . .please d-don't," Callie sobbed.

With her own tears streaming down her cheeks, Arizona managed to place a single finger under the Latina's chin, lifting her head. She needed however long she had left with her wife. She needed to see her smile one last time. Needed to feel her lips upon her own. She needed to look into chocolate brown eyes and see the everlasting love they had created for each other, but now, those eyes she'd fallen in love with – the eyes that had wooed her, seduced her, loved her, and fulfilled her - were clouded with nothing but pain and heartache.

"You, Calliope Torres. . .y-you are the love of my life. You've brought me so much joy, so much happiness. . .and made these last nine months the best months of my life. I love y-you. . .God. . .I love you so much and the thought of leaving you. . ."

Swallowing hard, the lump in Callie's throat prevented her from speaking, but she managed to keep her focus on those blue eyes. This was the first time in weeks they had a sparkle of life to them, the first time she heard not a waiver, but a strength in her wife's voice.

Arizona slowly shook her head, her mouth fighting her head against speaking the words. "I-I know you'll never forget me, a-and I know you think right now that you won't be able to go on, but you have to promise me you'll try, Callie. P-promise me you won't let your grief consume you. Promise me," she spoke, every single word a battle to get out, but she had to say this, she had to make sure her wife would one day be able to live again.

Shaking her head, raven locks brushed against a pale arm. "Arizona. . .w-what are you saying?"

Swallowing hard and breathing shallowly, Arizona carefully chose her words as she leaned in to rest her forehead against Callie's. "I'm s-saying. . .one day someone is going to come along and. . .a-and. . .want to be with you. One day someone's going to want to love you and when that day c-comes. . .I want you to let them," she carefully replied, each spoken word like poison on her tongue.

Eyes widening in shock, Callie found herself appalled by her wife's words. "Y-you think I could ever love someone else?" she questioned, her voice shaking with the implication.

"Yes, Callie, because I know y-you. I know your heart. It-it's the biggest, m-most beautiful heart I've ever seen, and one day, you'll be ready to love. . .some. . ."

"I won't!" Callie quickly interrupted. "Not ever. There's no one, Arizona. There could never be anyone else," she insisted as she stared into stormy blue eyes - eyes that loved her, eyes that would forever haunt her until she drew her own dying breath.

Callie's breath tickled Arizona's lips as she spoke. They were so close, both raw and exposed. Both stripped down. "One day there might be, baby. I-I don't want you to let opportunities pass you by. You can't mourn me f-forever. That isn't who you are. You have to live - for me. Promise me, Callie. Promise me. . .you'll live. "

Callie wanted to tell her no. She wanted her wife to take back her words because the thought of ever loving someone else was just. . .abhorrent. She knew there would - _could_ never be anyone else, because no one could ever replace her wife.

Not now and not ever.

And really. . .what was the point?

Callie knew without a doubt that she wouldn't be able to go on without Arizona, anyway. There was no silver lining. There was no hope. She would never be able to forget or move past this for as long as she lived.

Receiving no response, but only a blank stare, Arizona pulled back slightly to look into lifeless brown eyes. "Promise me, Calliope! Y-you promise me right now that you'll go on! That you'll finish your career, that you'll win the Harper Avery, and that one day. . .y-you'll be open to the possibility of loving again," Arizona harshly demanded, the desolate look she saw in her wife's eyes scaring her to the core.

"No, Arizona! I won't! I'm not going to sit here and make promises I can't keep," Callie argued, her tone harsh and unrelenting. "I will never love again. Y-you're it for me. I don't want to love again. I'll finish my career, and I'll live. . .for you, but that's it. I'll do whatever, I'll go through the motions, because the sooner I do, the sooner we'll be together again."

Arizona's immediately gripped Callie's face. "Don't you dare. . .y-you wouldn't. . ." she stuttered, her blood running cold at the thought of what Callie's words could potentially mean.

Covering Arizona's shaking hands with her own, Callie felt some of her strength return. "I wouldn't. . .not that. . .but please don't ask the impossible of me. D-don't make some of our last moments together be filled with lies," Callie adamantly insisted.

Not having the energy to argue, but momentarily satisfied that her wife wouldn't do anything irrational or stupid, Arizona nodded her head. She didn't want their last moments to be fraught with arguments or lies, either.

"I. . .I don't know how to do this," Callie quietly admitted as she lay down on her side, one hand tangling with Arizona's as the other gently rested against her wife's hip.

"I know."

"I'm so s-scared."

"Me too."

"I d-don't want you to die, Arizona."

"I don't want to die either, baby. I'm so sorry."

"I love you, Arizona. God. . .so much. Do you h-hear me?"

"Probably not as m-much as I love you," Arizona attempted to joke before closing her eyes, the urge to cough taking over and she began to sputter and wheeze.

Eyes brimming with tears, Callie grabbed the oxygen mask lying on the bed before bringing it to her wife's mouth. "Easy, sweetie. Just breathe. . .b-breathe," she tenderly coaxed.

Keeping the mask over Arizona's mouth and encouraging her to take deep breaths, Callie rolled onto her stomach, her free hand moving to cup a hollowed cheek, her brown eyes boring into the ones of the woman she loved.

Time was moving too fast.

She wasn't ready to let her wife go.

She wasn't sure she'd ever be ready, but now wasn't the time.

Two sets of tears became one as both women clutched at each other. Arizona struggled to remove the mask, but Callie fought for her to keep it on. "C-Calliope. . .p-please," Arizona managed to rasp out.

Hand shaking, Callie relented, pulling the mask away from her face. "It's okay, baby. Y-you just rest. I've got you now."

Shaking her head, Arizona brought both hands up to frame her wife's face. "I need you to do me one more favor, please," she softly requested.

"Anything."

"Kiss me. Please, Callie. Kiss me."

Wanting nothing more, Callie choked on her own sob as she brought her face down, her lips parting as she gently pushed her lips onto the dry pink one's of her wife. Chilled fingers caressed caramel skin, and as her wife's tongue softly slipped between her lips, Callie felt her heart cry while simultaneously singing.

She was kissing her wife. There was nothing better than that, but the thought of kissing her wife goodbye, ripped her soul in half.

They kissed each other passionately. In this moment there was no death. There were no goodbyes, and as their hands held the faces they loved, their mouths moved together. In this one moment, it was just them. . .

Callie and Arizona.

Two women in love.

Two women brought together by destiny.

Feeling her wife's small form begin to shake beneath her, Callie knew she needed to pull back. Reluctantly so, she sweetly ended the intimate joining of their lips before placing a few more kisses against chapped lips.

"Take me away, Callie. I d-don't want to stay here," Arizona breathlessly requested.

"W-what are you talking about, Arizona? There's no way you can leave this bed. I can't take you anywhere," Callie replied, her voice wrought with alarm.

"Yes, you can. It's m-my choice. I'm d-dying, Calliope. . .and I don't want. . .to die here," Arizona adamantly contended. "I-I want fresh air. I want sun. I want your arms around me, holding me. P-please. Do this f-for me. You know there's nothing stopping us from walking out that door. Please, Callie. I need this. . ."

Swallowing hard, Callie's mind raced.

Could they really leave the hospital?

Arizona was so weak.

Where would they go?

What would Bailey say?

What about Barbara and Daniel?

What about Alex?

Looking down at her wife, Callie saw her blue eyes were pleading with her. She saw the hope on her face and knew there was no way she could deny this dying wish. "Do you want me to go get your parents a-and Alex? Do you want them to come with us?"

Shaking her head, Arizona instantly tried to sit herself up, unbelievably happy that Callie hadn't fought her on this.

"No. Don't move. I'll get a wheelchair," Callie insisted, jumping from the bed. "Are you sure you don't want your parents or Alex? I-I don't want to take any time away from them, Arizona."

Lying still, Arizona once again placed the mask against her face, inhaling a few times through her nose. "I've s-said my goodbyes. They'll. . .understand. I just n-need to be with you. Only you, Callie."

Throat tightening, Callie nodded her head. Leaning down she kissed her wife's forehead. "Give me ten minutes. I know the perfect place."

* * *

They didn't quite make it out of the hospital undetected, Miranda Bailey marching into Arizona's room just as Callie was placing the final article of clothing into her wife's small duffle bag. The short statured doctor understood, though, and instead of making them sign out of the hospital against medical advice, she quickly gathered the paperwork necessary for her patient's immediate discharge.

Wheeling Arizona out into the early afternoon Seattle air, Miranda helped her into the passenger's side of her best friend's 1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible as Callie loaded their belongings into the trunk. Once she was sure that Arizona was settled safely and comfortably inside, she shut the door before rounding the car to stand in front of her friend.

Callie reached forward, drawing Miranda into a hug. "Thank you so much for this, Bailey. I-I'll never be able to repay you for all that you've done."

Miranda pulled back, waving her off. "Just doing my job, Torres. Just doing my job."

Watching as her best friend slowly disappeared back through the automatic doors of the hospital's main entrance, Callie sighed before opening the driver's side door with a trembling hand. Carefully settling herself inside, she pulled on her seatbelt before glancing sidelong in her wife's direction.

"Top down?" Arizona implored, a playful smile lighting her face as she jokingly wagged her eyebrows up and down.

Callie nodded, returning her wife's infectious smile. "Top down."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Arizona asked an hour later as she awoke from a fitful sleep.

Callie smiled, reaching her right hand over to grasp Arizona's left. "Umm. . .Westport Beach. I used to spend free weekends there all the time. Sometimes Bailey would come with me, sometimes I'd go alone. I haven't been in over a year, but it. . .it's beautiful there, Arizona, and I. . .I think you're going to love it."

Arizona smiled as she gripped Callie's hand between two smaller ones. Being here, in this classic convertible with oversized sunglasses covering her eyes, with the wind blowing against her face causing the scarf wrapped around her neck to wave behind her in wind, with her gorgeous wife by her side. . .this was all she had ever desired. This was exactly what she'd been waiting for. This was what she desperately needed in order to have the strength to let go - to move from this earth and onto whatever came next.

With her eyes closed, Arizona rested her turban covered head against the leather headrest, a peaceful sigh emanating from her lips. "I've always loved the beach," she softly stated into the car, her voice breaking through the road noise, the sound of the tires against the pavement, radiating around them. "The first beach I remember was Kāne'ohe Bay, Hawaii. I was seven. Tim was nine. He used to chase me down the beach with a Super Soaker and then tackle me and tickle the crap out of me until I gave up," she spoke, her eyes never opening as she continued to reminisce.

Callie looked from the road, glancing toward her wife. She suddenly seemed so at peace. So collected. So. . .Arizona.

"After that, it was Del Mar Beach at Camp Pendleton, then Corpus Christi, Texas, then. . .Camp Allen in Norfolk, Virginia. Wow. . .I never really thought about it until recently. So many beaches. . ."

Callie's brow furrowed as she considered her wife's words.

"Tim and I always loved the beach. He liked the sunrise, but for me, it was the sunset. The way the streaks of pink and orange in the clearest evening sky were mirrored by the shimmering clear blue waves of the sea. Hmm. . .my favorite time of day," she hummed, her grasp on Callie's hand never faltering as she her mind and body filled with the thoughts and memories of a time so long ago forgotten. "As kids, we moved every eighteen months. We didn't have a lot of friends, we always had a new house, but there were three things that always remained constant. Our parents, each other. . .and the beach. The beach was where we found solace. A place where we could be free."

Callie felt tears brim in her eyes upon hearing Arizona's heartfelt memories - her emotional reverie. "It sounds lovely, Arizona. I wish I could have known you. . ._then_. I wish I could have spent time with you at the beach."

Arizona finally opened her eyes to glance in her wife's direction. "You're going to, Calliope. Right now. You're what matters to me, now. You're my constant, and I want to share my last moments, at the beach. . .with you."

* * *

Arizona carefully drew in the deepest breath her lungs would allow, the fresh air around her, the smell of the ocean, the rays of the sun on her face, calming her racing mind and soothing her aching soul. For the first time in a long while, she finally felt at peace. Her heart still ached for her wife - for the pain she knew she still carried, but she had long since accepted her fate.

She knew that nothing was ever going to erase Callie's pain over this loss, but she felt some relief knowing that she'd done everything in her power to love her, to cherish her, to show her exactly how much she meant to her, and for the first time ever, she was sure that Callie felt it, too. Being here, in such a beautiful place, alone with her wife, with the sun starting to slip beyond the horizon, Arizona knew when the time came, she could close her eyes, and go in peace.

"Room for one more?" Callie asked, her voice penetrating Arizona's thoughts as she lay on a double chaise lounge on the wooden porch of the beach house.

Opening her eyes and smiling lovingly up at her wife, Arizona nodded her head and extended her hand. "Always room for you, my love."

Smiling herself, Callie helped her wife sit forward so that she could situate herself behind her. Once comfortably seated, Callie brought her arms around Arizona's waist, encouraging her to rest her head on her shoulder. Bundled up in a warm blanket, her body wrapped nice and tight, Arizona happily basked in the feeling of her wife's body surrounding her, the sun's rays warming her face and the smell of the ocean only feet away.

This was so much better than lying in the hospital.

While hesitant at first, Callie had to admit that being here - alone with her wife - felt right. This was so much better than being surrounded by beeping machines, the smell of disinfectant and death always lingering in the air, and the smile on Arizona's face as she easily breathed in the fresh ocean air, brought some solace to the Latina's tortured heart.

But, she still wasn't ready. They'd finally talked, but Callie still had more to say. She had more to give and more she wanted to do, but Arizona was so calm, so relaxed, and Callie just knew that their time was running out. Her wife was slowly letting go, but she still wasn't ready. Her soul continued to ache, her heart breaking. "Arizona. . .?" she asked when she felt the silence had stretched on for too long.

"Hmmm?"

"I c-can't do this," Callie hoarsely stated, her voice breaking as the stream of tears she had tried to hold back broke free.

"Callie. . ."

"I've tried, Arizona. . .b-but I just can't. I'm not ready. I d-don't know how to let you go. Please, Arizona. P-lease, don't go. I-I don't. . .I can't. . .I'll die without you," Callie cried, her breath hitching as she struggled for air.

Arizona turned in her wife's arms, struggling to maneuver herself so that she could face her. "Baby, here. . .help me out," Arizona quietly requested.

Callie shakily moved, positioning their bodies to face other. Leaning on their sides, the Latina's tears continued to fall. Pulling her hand out from the warm blanket she was wrapped in, Arizona framed her wife's tearful face. "Calliope. . .I love you. Please, please don't cry. I can't bear to see you like this, and I. . .if I could stay, you know I would. P-please Callie, look at me," Arizona begged when Callie wouldn't meet her gaze, the peace she felt, quickly evaporating as each sob and moan of pain breached full lips.

"I-I can't. Please, Arizona. You have to try. You have to live because I-I don't know how to go on without you," Callie begged and pleaded. She knew she was asking for the impossible, but the alternative was just too hard. "You've changed my life, Arizona. You've given me more than anyone ever has. Do you know how much I l-love you?" she asked, her nose rubbing against the cool one of her wife.

Her heart was breaking, a pain like she had never before felt, and if this was really it, if Arizona really was going to leave her, she desperately needed her to know exactly how she felt, exactly how much she meant to her.

"I know exactly how much you love me, Calliope," Arizona softly admitted. "A-and that's how I know that you _can_ go on. You'll do it for me, and I know, Callie, I know it will hurt, b-but you'll do it. Y-you'll live for me. Do you hear me? You will live for me. That's how this works. That's h-how you'll go on. . .you'll go on f-for me," Arizona whispered as her own tears slowly dripped down her nose to mingle with the salty moisture that was leaking from the chocolate brown eyes staring back at her.

Blinking and gulping in a lungful of air, Callie let out a wail of pain. Her wife was so strong. So patient and so loving, but she was right, as much as it hurt to admit, she would go on. She would live, and she would do it all for Arizona.

Because that's what she deserved. . .and so much more.

"I love you, Arizona. So m-much. I-I don't want to s-say goodbye, though. P-please d-don't say goodbye. . .n-not yet. . ." Callie stated as she pressed tearful kisses against her wife's forehead, her eyelids, her lips, and her cheeks. "I will n-never forget you. You came into my life a-and changed me. You are the love of my life, my soul mate, and I am so lucky to have found you. You are it for me. Now. Tomorrow. Forever." Leaning in, and kissing pale lips, Callie hiccupped, her tears thick on her skin. "I love you. I-I'll always love you, Arizona. Forever and always."

Arizona gently ran her hand over her wife's beautiful caramel face. "This is the most at peace I've ever felt. With your arms around me. I-I can feel your love, Callie, and this is what I want to take with me. Th-this is how I want to remember us. You and me. In love. Wrapped up in each other's arms. I-I know it hurts, baby. . .and I could never say goodbye. Y-you're in me. You're a part of me, and nothing. . .not even d-death can change that. I'll forever be with you, Calliope. Forever."

Both women cried as they clung to each other before Arizona pressed forward, kissing her wife with a passion and a ferocity that shook both of them to the very core. They held each other tightly, their mouths moving together, their tears mingling as they tried to hold onto the everlasting love they had created in such a short amount of time.

Nine months ago, they were mere strangers, but today, as they cradled each other in the light of the setting sun and as the world moved around them, they were two women, whose hearts would forever be connected, whose souls would forever be changed. Two women who had created a love that would outlast them both and live long after they left this earth.

Breathlessly pulling back and gasping for air, Arizona smiled adoringly at her wife. "Just hold me, now. Please, Calliope. Hold me, and love me," she whispered, tears still dripping from her blue eyes.

Nodding her head and choking back a sob, Callie gathered her wife more fully into her arms. Holding her tight, she kissed a bald head as she let her tears continue to fall. As the sun started to fade and the sky turned from blue to pink, she heard her wife's breath even out and knew she was asleep. Enveloping her more firmly against her body, she ran her long fingers across the breathtakingly stunning face that would never leave her mind or her heart. "You'll always be alive, Arizona. My heart could never forget you. I'm going to love you for as long as I live."

* * *

With the sun long gone, the chill of the night air surrounded Callie as she lay still on the deck, Arizona's small and fragile form cradled in her arms. Her tears had only just stopped falling, and with a sad sigh, she eased herself off the lounge, easily lifting her wife's sleeping form into her arms.

Carefully walking into the beach house, she carried Arizona into the small bedroom to let her continue her sleep while she prepared something for a late dinner. She doubted she would be able to eat anything, and she knew Arizona would most likely refuse more than a few spoonfuls, but she had to do something. She needed to keep her hands and her mind busy if only for a few minutes.

After gently depositing her wife on the mattress, Callie knelt down at the side of the bed, her face hovering over Arizona's. "I love you," she quietly stated before briefly kissing her forehead.

Exiting the room, she pulled the door closed, heading toward the fully stocked refrigerator to decide what she should make. With a heavy sigh, she opened the stainless steel door, hoping she could find the ingredients necessary to make a soup, but before she could look inside, she heard her cell phone begin to ring.

Closing the door to the fridge, she quickly made her way over to the couch where she had thrown her purse upon their arrival just three hours before. Fishing around in the large bag, she pulled out the device, momentarily freezing when she saw the number on the display.

With a shaking hand, she swiped her thumb across the touch screen before bringing the phone to her ear.

"H-hello?"

"_Is this Dr. Calliope Torres?"_

"Yes. Yes, this is she," Callie carefully replied, her voice calm and collected, even though her heart was pounding in her chest.

"_This is Dr. Stephan Porter from the University of Pennsylvania. I'm calling about the application you submitted in regards to a. . .Miss. . .no sorry. . .Dr. Arizona Robbins."_

Callie swallowed hard. "I. . umm. . .yes, Dr. Porter. Arizona is my wife."

_"Is she available for me to speak to?"_

Callie looked toward the door leading to the bedroom. "No, she-she's not available right now, but I. . .I'm her MPOA."

_"Well, then. I'd like to speak with you concerning our clinical trial here at UPENN. I've reviewed your wife's application, and I believe she would be an excellent candidate for this study. I'd like to start. . ."_

Callie didn't hear or process another word.

Her body felt like it wasn't her own.

Her hands shook.

Her mind raced.

Her heart drummed in her chest as her mouth went as dry as the sand outside the deck door.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

She was shocked.

She was thrilled.

She needed to tell Arizona.

Reigning in her emotions, she shook her head, forcing herself to listen to the amazing words the miraculous doctor on the other end of the line was saying.

_"Would it be possible for your wife to travel to Pennsylvania, Dr. Torres? Or would we need to come to a facility closer to you?"_

Callie's eyes flew open, the reality of what was happening slowly began to really sink in. Swallowing against the lump of emotion that had taken up residence in her throat, she cleared her throat. "I-I. . .she can't travel that far right now. You-you would have to come to us. Umm. . .Seattle Grace Mercy West. A-and I'll do whatever you need. Flights. . .hotels. . ."

_"That won't be necessary right now, Dr. Torres. I'll make all of the necessary arrangements. Please expect further communication from me within the next twenty-four hours."_

A brilliant smile tugged at Callie's lips at the thought of what all of this really meant. "Thank you so much, Dr. Porter," she sincerely exclaimed into the phone. "You have no idea. . ." but she trailed off, her voice cracking.

There was a momentary pause on the other end. _"It's no problem, Dr. Torres. I'll speak with you soon."_

With her phone grasped firmly in her hand, Callie quickly made her way across the living room toward the bedroom where Arizona lay sleeping. She knew she shouldn't wake her - that she needed her rest - but she needed to tell her this. She needed to let her know that they didn't need to say goodbye - that she'd found a way for them to carry on.

She just had to tell her.

She was too excited not to.

Taking the knob into her hand, she gave the door a gentle push before quickly moving to Arizona's bedside. Kneeling down near her wife's head just as she had done not thirty minutes before, Callie's brow immediately furrowed when she saw the slackened look on Arizona's pale face.

That wasn't just the peaceful look of someone who was sleeping.

She'd memorized what her wife looked like in sleep.

Something wasn't right.

That was the look of. . .

"No, Arizona. No!" Callie shouted, as she quickly stood, a trembling hand reaching out to check for a pulse at her carotid artery. Finding none, she shakily moved her fingers around her wife's neck, desperately repositioning here and there when she still felt no rhythm.

No thump.

No flutter.

Nothing.

With trembling hands, she bobbled her phone within her grasp before gathering the strength and the courage to do what she needed to do.

Arizona may have been ready to go, but she couldn't lose her.

Not when she'd just received such amazing news.

Quickly dialing 911, Callie moved to straddle her wife's lifeless form, her hands coming together over her sunken breastbone as she anxiously waited to hear a voice on the other end of the line.

_"This is 911. What is your emergency?"_

"I need an ambulance to 1112 Dune Crest Drive, Westport. My wife is unconscious. I'm alone, a-and I. . .I'm about to start CPR."

With that, the phone fell from where it was cradled between her shoulder and ear, her mind and body immediately slipping into doctor mode as she pressed down with her interlocked hands to perform her first compression against her wife's chest.

Minutes passed, she wasn't sure how many, but her arms ached with the stress of forcefully attempting to keep the blood pumping through Arizona's lifeless form, the sensation of the stretching and depressing of the cartilage and ligaments around her sternum causing the Latina to cringe. "Come on, Arizona. Come on. Not now, baby. Not now. I-I'm not ready."

Callie vaguely heard the sound of sirens pulling up outside the beach house before the sounds of footsteps and voices filtered into the room.

"Ma'am. We'll take it from here. Ma'am!"

The voice of the male EMT barely reached her as she continued her regimen of compression and rescue breaths. "Come on, Arizona. I love you so much, sweetie. D-don't do this. You c-can't leave me! Not yet!"

Strong hands pulled Callie's now sobbing and quaking form from the bed, directing her to the side of the room as two other paramedics began their work at her wife's side. Cutting open Arizona's shirt, the female EMT placed the pads of an Automated External Defibrillator onto her chest.

"Clear!"

Callie jumped as Arizona's body jerked with the bolt of electricity that was delivered, her eyes falling shut as she leaned against the wall. "Come on, Arizona. Come on."

Nothing.

"Clear!"

Callie's jolted again, her face contorting with heartache as tears dripped unabashed down her face.

Nothing.

Callie's heart sank, her mind raced, the breath stolen from her chest.

An EMT had taken her place, continuing chest compressions in the attempt to save Arizona's life.

"Clear!"

The room went silent as they all waited.

Nothing.

Callie's eyes went wide when the EMT's appeared to be giving up. "No, don't stop. Not yet. Try it again!" she hoarsely demanded through her tears.

The paramedics exchanged conflicted looks before once again charging the AED.

"Clear!"

Callie couldn't breathe. Her heart was breaking, her entire body trembling as she slid down the wall, landing in a heap on the hardwood floor. Her eyes flicked around the room as she watched one of the paramedics pull back from her wife's lifeless form to carefully approach her.

"No. . ." she cried as she felt hands on her shoulders. She could see the EMT's mouth moving, but through her haze of tears and the fog of such gut wrenching pain, his words made no sense.

She couldn't hear him. She couldn't see him. Her own pain so blinding, she felt as though she was slipping away into nothingness right along with her wife.

"Ma'am?"

She managed to lift her head, and through teary brown eyes, she caught sight of the second paramedic still at Arizona's side, shoulders slumped and head hanging.

Pain beyond anything she could ever have imagined tore through her body, ripping her to pieces from the inside to out, and the scream that breached her lips reverberated through the room, bouncing off the walls and echoing into the abyss the ocean outside.

"No, Arizona! Oh, God! Noooo. . ."

* * *

**AN3: **Thank you so much for continuing to support this story. We know that it's a tough story to read, and we really hope you made it to the end of this chapter. Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing your thoughts. Reviews and comments are always appreciated!


	16. Chapter 14

**Title: **All The Love That We Shared

**Author:** HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Author: ** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: ** Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17 (For Future Chapters)

**Summary**: We can fight it - we can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **The response to the previous chapter was overwhelming! A huge thank you to each and every one of you for reading and for leaving such wonderful reviews and comments! It means so much!

**AN2: **Just so there is no confusion, this chapter takes place one year after the prologue and three months after the previous chapter.

* * *

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

* * *

_The sensation of someone knocking into me from behind jolts me from my silent reverie, and I slowly exhale a breath as I continue to stare through the glass of the double doors in front of me. Slowly moving forward, the doors open, allowing me to step inside. Immediately, the sights, sounds, and smells of the hospital assault my senses transporting me back to a year ago. . ._

**(A year later)**

Immediately entering the lobby, Callie spied her best friend stepping off the elevator, a pile of charts stacked high in her arms. "Torres, hey!" Miranda called as she stepped closer to her. "I wasn't expecting you until later."

Glancing down at her watch, Callie noted that she was just under an hour early. "Yeah, I know," she replied as she fidgeted with the strap of her bag. "I thought maybe we could grab some coffee. . .and talk."

Miranda nodded as she searched Callie's face. Noting the unsettled look that masked her best friend's features, the shorter woman kept her eye on the Latina as they made their way toward the cafeteria. Politely smiling and exchanging greetings with passersby who called out to them, Miranda couldn't help but notice how withdrawn her best friend seemed.

As they arrived at the cafeteria doors, the blaring of a pager immediately reached their ears, a groan emanating from Miranda's mouth when she realized that it was indeed her own. Hastily pulling the beeper from where it was clipped at her hip, she rolled her eyes when she spied the numbers written across the display. "Sorry, Callie. . .I have to take this," she huffed before looking back up at her friend. "Rain check on the coffee? And the talk?"

Callie's face fell slightly, but she knew the drill. Nodding her head, she waved off her friend. "Sure, sure. It's no problem."

Miranda reached out to lay a gentle hand against Callie's forearm, offering silent support. "But, I'll see you in an hour, okay? We'll go up to the floor and get everything taken care of."

Callie once again nodded, watching as Miranda briskly scurried away. Continuing through the cafeteria doors, she glanced around the bustling area, her thoughts immediately flashing to a moment that occurred in this very spot, just one year ago.

The moment she met her wife.

The moment that changed her life.

Forever.

**Callie's POV**

_I remember the very first moment I laid eyes on Arizona Robbins - here in this very place. It was like no other moment I've ever experienced, and I doubt I ever will. _

_It was. . .exhilarating. It was exciting. It was downright. . .terrifying. _

_In one single moment, I felt a connection like I'd never before experienced, and all it took was one look into her bright blue eyes to leave me breathless, intrigued, and more than a little turned on. I've never forgotten how she turned her head as if sensing she was being watched, her eyes immediately connecting with mine. _

_It was a moment I've always cherished, and one I know I'll never be able to forget for as long as I live._

_Moment. A particular period of importance, influence, or significance; an exact point in time._

_I shared many moments with Arizona inside this hospital - some good and some bad - but all significant. It's hard to believe just how many memories I made with her in such a short duration, but one singular period in time is all it took for my fondest memories to form. _

_For tears to be shed, smiles to be given, kisses received, souls touched, a heart broken. _

_I experienced all of these and more with Arizona, and every single one of them has touched my heart. Every single one is a part of me that I will carry around with me for the rest of my life._

Making herself a cup of coffee and paying the bill, Callie turned to leave, but before she could get halfway to the exit, her attention was caught by the sight of two people sharing a hug in the corner of the crowded room, her mind once again assaulted with another important moment in time.

_The moment I found out Arizona was terminally ill._

_It happened just after I felt that all-consuming connection with her, when her eyes locked with mine. I was standing in the middle of this very room, staring at her like an idiot, drowning in her gaze and no doubt drooling, I'm sure._ _I was positive that I was going insane, and I tried to look away, but I was wholly unable to do so. Everything around me faded until it was only the beautiful blonde woman and myself, alone in the room. Immediately, and without my permission, my heart was taken. My temperature rose, butterflies uncontrollably fluttered around in my stomach, and my knees went weak. _

_My emotions were no longer my own. _

_We stared at each other for I don't know how long, but all too soon, our moment came to an end when Alex Karev bumped into me, nearly sending me flying to the floor. He was polite. He apologized, but then my entire world suddenly came crashing down around me when I saw him step up to the object of my affection, offering her a tender embrace._

_Alex knew this woman. They were friendly, but it was more than that._

_She wasn't just his acquaintance. She was more than his friend. _

_She was his best friend. The best friend he'd just cried to me about. _

_His best friend who was. . .dying._

_My mind reeled. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, and with that, my blood ran cold, my world slamming to a halt and tipping upside down. Even though I was confused by what I had just experienced, a feeling of certainty came over me, and in that moment, I knew that my life would be forever changed. From that moment on, I made it my personal mission to get to know this woman with whom I'd quickly become intrigued. I stalked her room, hounded Bailey, and most likely made a fool of myself in her presence. _

_It seemed, though, that fate had a plan because soon enough, this woman wasn't just someone to stare at from across a busy room. She wasn't just another pretty face. She was Arizona Robbins, and soon, I got to meet her, to befriend her, and not long after that, to fall in love with her. _

Snapping out of her reverie, Callie smiled as she watched the two friends continue to hug, lingering momentarily before turning on her heel to leave the cafeteria. In no real rush, she slowly wandered through the hallways of Seattle Grace Mercy West, her feet taking her on a journey of their own.

Before she knew it, she was standing outside another familiar place, and not knowing exactly what possessed her to do so, she turned the handle of the door leading to the chemotherapy infusion center. Right away, memories - both good and bad - invaded her senses.

This room wasn't exactly a place where much fun was had, but as she moved toward the empty infusion chair that once was Arizona's favorite, a memory hit her, filling her body with nothing but warmth.

_It didn't take long before the blonde haired, blue eyed woman with dimples to die for and a smile that rendered me completely speechless, became more than just a patient, more than someone I promised to look after, more than someone I had an insanely huge crush on. _

_She quickly became the most important person in my life. _

_I knew I liked Arizona, that much was obvious from the first moment I laid eyes on her, but falling for a terminally ill patient wasn't exactly advisable, but I soon found out that I had absolutely no say in the matter, because as hard as I fought it, she and I were destined to be together._

_It was kismet. _

_We were soul mates. _

_We were made for each other. _

_And in this place, we shared our first kiss. _

_It was passionate._

_It was tender._

_It was everything a first kiss should be._

_Fireworks exploded behind our eyelids, but I. . .hesitated. I pulled back because I was. . .scared. I was confused and uncertain of what was happening, but there was nothing within my power to do. I tried to fight it, but there was absolutely no way for me to deny my feelings. _

_I loved her, and she loved me, the connection we felt completely overwhelming us both. From then on, there was no turning back, and we quickly became girlfriends, and not long after that, I made her my wife. Marrying Arizona Robbins was the happiest moment of my life - one that I will forever cherish and always look back on with great fondness in my heart. _

Running her hand over the material of the infusion chair, Callie shook her head, in an attempt to clear her racing thoughts, knowing that she could get lost for hours in the memory of all the love that she shared with Arizona. Deciding the time had come for her to exit the infusion center, she noted that she'd been walking around, lost in her own personal reverie, for nearly an hour. Picking up her pace, she briskly moved down the corridor before turning left when she reached the end of the hallway. Taking a seat in a chair overlooking the grounds outside, she sighed.

_For nine months, I knew the chance of Arizona's survival was slim to none. For nine months, I tried my hardest to fight against the odds - to stop the impossible - but as each month ticked by, as we got closer to. . .that night, all my hopes and all my dreams slowly were ripped from my grasp. _

_I had time to prepare myself, but I refused to do so._

_And three months ago, Arizona - my beautiful wife - slipped away from me. _

_Since that night at the beach house, I've watched the people around me grieve. I've watched them struggle to deal with the aftermath of an event that none of us will likely ever forget, and when I think back on that night - when I let my mind go back to that place - I am consumed by the worst pain I have ever experienced. _

_I feel shock. _

_I feel horror. _

_It's a struggle to pull myself out of it, and I know with everything that I am that I'll never be able to forget that moment - that it will forever haunt me - until I breathe my dying breath. _

_The past three months haven't exactly been kind to me, but they have shown me many things. _

_I've witnessed those I love. . .break. _

_I've watched people fall apart, and put themselves back together again. _

_I've seen strength that I had never before witnessed and not just from friends and family, but also from myself. I am so much stronger than I ever thought I was - stronger than I ever thought I could be. I wasn't sure how to survive without her. How I could stand to wake up without her. . .next to me. How I could tolerate evenings where I didn't get to feel her arms around me, afternoons where she couldn't kiss my worries away. _

_But somehow, I did it. I survived. _

_I took some knocks - dealt with more than I could bear - but I'm still here. _

_I'm still standing._

_There were nights when I cried myself to sleep, days when I cursed anyone and everyone around me, but I lived._

_That night, changed me on the most basic, fundamental level, and I can feel it in the deepest recesses of my soul. Watching Arizona slip away from me as I uselessly collapsed to the ground surrounded by nothing but pain and devastation altered who I am. _

_And how could it not? _

_How could anyone go through something like that and not be changed? _

_These past months have been a struggle. I can't deny that. I could easily have thrown in the towel, and on some days - when it seemed like there was nothing I could do - I nearly did, the grief I felt, consuming my soul. It dragged me under the roaring current of despair, threatening to drown me, and it took everything inside me - all of who I am - to fight against that force. I wanted to give up, to give in, to call it quits, but then I remembered the promise I made to my wife. _

_So, I continued to breathe, and I did it all for Arizona._

_I carried on, and I fought. Every day. I swam away from the rip tide because she was counting on me – because she made me promise her that I would live. _

_For her._

_My wife._

_My soul mate._

_The other half that made me whole. _

_Every day, I battled the odds. I weathered the storm, and I wasn't alone. _

_I had Bailey. I had Alex. I had Arizona's parents. _

_We - as a team, as Arizona's family - stayed strong. We supported one another even on days where we all felt like giving up. Through them - the people who have become so deeply ingrained in my life - I discovered my own inner strength. A strength I never knew existed, until I needed it most. _

The buzzing of Callie's phone caused her to jump a mile into the air. Grasping at her chest, she glanced down at the time, soon realizing that she'd lingered too long. Opting to take the elevator instead of the stairs, she was lucky enough to enter the awaiting lift, and even luckier to ride up to the floor alone. As she stepped closer to her destination, she realized that the memories plaguing her mind had all happened for a reason.

_A year ago, I saw Arizona across a busy cafeteria, our eyes met, and I instantly fell in love. My head might not have known it right then, but my heart certainly did. A year ago, my life changed and despite the ups and downs - despite all the heartache and all the grief -I was changed for the better. _

_Through her, I experienced a life that I never thought was real, a love that Bailey told me only existed in fairy tales. I've made forever friendship in the form of Alex Karev - the most unlikely of friends, I will admit - but one I know I'll always be able to lean on. _

_Because of Arizona, I've strengthened my friendship with my own best friend. Loyal, dependent, and always there when I need a shoulder to cry on or a swift kick in the ass, Miranda Bailey is someone I cannot live without. _

_Thanks to my wife, I've also gained a family - Barbara and Daniel Robbins - the parents I always dreamed of having. _

_Over the past months, I've cried. _

_I've loved. _

_I've laughed. _

_I've felt anger and grief and joy and sorrow. _

_I've battled, and I've lost, but today, as I walk through the corridors of Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital and arrive on the oncology unit, I know that all the anger, all the pain, and all the heartache have been worth it. _

_And. . .I'm not sure I'd change a thing. _

_They say the true course of love never runs smoothly. There are always bumps in the road and obstacles in our way, but a love like Arizona's and mine. . .that's something that can't be defeated, nor taken away. That night three months ago, as my pain bounced off the walls of the beach house, echoing as far away as the deep blue ocean outside, I felt something snap within me._

_Fate had a plan for Arizona and for me. _

_Our destiny - our path - wasn't supposed to end like that, so I did the only thing I could do. . ._

_**Flashback**_

_"No, Arizona! Oh, God! Noooo. . ."_

_It can't end like this. This isn't how it's supposed to end._

"_Try again!" I demanded as I stumbled to my feet, pushing past the paramedic who uselessly attempted to hold me back._

"_She's been down for nearly 30 minutes ma'am. I'm s-sorry, but she's g-gone."_

_I shook my head, adamantly refusing to accept this. This is NOT happening - not if I have anything to do with it._

"_TRY AGAIN!" I shouted, my voice projecting the anger and pain that was pulsing through my trembling form._

_The EMT looked over his shoulder to his partner as I stood there staring at my wife's lifeless form. "There's nothing more we can do. . ."_

_Not taking no for an answer, I harshly ripped the AED from the paramedic's hands. Staring down at Arizona, I once again shocked her fragile body, her chest bouncing from the currents now entering her heart. "Please. . .please. . .baby. . .live. . ."_

"_We have a heartbeat!" the paramedic happily exclaimed. _

_Staring down at her beautiful face, I had one tiny moment in time to feel absolute relief before the world around me faded to black. _

_**End Flashback**_

_. . .I saved her life. _

_I fought for her even when she was ready to go. I went against her wishes, but it's a decision I will never regret because as I step up to the window of room 1614 to look through the pane of glass, I've never been so thankful for making the decision I did. _

_Placing my hand against the glass, she senses my gaze, just as she did a year ago in that crowded cafeteria. Her head, now covered with short pixie cut blonde hair, turns in my direction, causing my heart to pound and my world to spin as sparkling blue eyes meet my own. Staring into those eyes that are filled with nothing but the most genuine love and affection, I feel my knees weaken, and I know that without a doubt - once again - my life is about to change._

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

_I honestly can't believe that I'm here - that I'm still alive and that my life is going to continue. That I'm going to have time to do all the things that, in the past two years, had become nothing more than unattainable dreams. I'd fully given up on living as an option for me, and if it weren't for my brave, strong, courageous wife, I wouldn't be here today. _

_I remember very little about the timeline of these past three months - only certain events, touches, and sounds - the very first awareness to penetrate my fog-filled mind being a persistent pressure against the palm of my left hand, a soothing caress against the skin covering my knuckles as what my hazy brain told me were fingers, fidgeted with the wedding bands that encircled my own left ring finger. _

_I felt trapped inside my body. My consciousness faded in and out, and I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or not. I knew my first name, and after some effort, I think I recalled my last name. I knew I was in a hospital but that was it. I had loads of questions like, "Where am I?", "Why am I here?", "What has happened to me?" _

_But I had no ability to ask anyone._

_And then, I remember. . .a voice._

_A voice that was strangely familiar, but one that I couldn't quite place._

_When my mind began to clear, I realized that, for much of the time, I knew what was going on around me. I couldn't see, but I could feel, and I could hear. I remember conversations between that hauntingly familiar voice and other voices, discussing what was wrong with me and how seriously ill I was._

_It seemed the stuff of nightmares. To lie in what I assumed was a hospital bed, unable to speak or move - not even an eyelid. To understand what people were saying, but not be able to respond. Even to hear my fate being discussed, without being able to have my say._

_But, it was more puzzling than scary, and this, I think, was partly because that familiar voice was always there. _

_Talking to me. _

_Singing to me. _

_Telling me what was happening. _

_Explaining to me, step by step, every time I was given an injection, every time my blood pressure was taken, every time a visitor arrived. I couldn't work out what this woman was doing in the strange world I now inhabited, but her presence was enormously reassuring._

_And then, I remember that voice talking to me about all the things we still had left to do. The voice spoke of a bucket list - my bucket list - and I could hear shuffling of paper as the voice read the list to me. _

_"Finish your residency, become an attending, buy a house, plant a garden. We can plant a vegetable garden, Arizona, a-and fill the yard with rows and rows of peonies," the voice explained. "Adopt a puppy. We already did that one, sweetie," the voice said. "And Carter. . .he misses you so much, baby. So do I. . .Alex and your parents. Bailey hasn't slept in days. We're all here for you, Arizona, and we need you to be strong. We need you to come back to us, because when you do, you and I will go scuba diving, see a flash mob. The next one says, go skydiving with Calliope. I'm still not sold on that, but if you wake up - when you wake up - I'll do anything. . ."_

_'Wait,' my cloudy and addled mind had demanded._

_Calliope._

_I knew that name. Such a beautiful name. _

_Calliope. . ._

_Callie. . ._

_She. . .she was my. . .friend._

_No. She was more than that. What was I missing? I knew there was more._

_So much more._

_She was my. . .girlfriend?_

_No. Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!_

_She was my. . .wife._

_And that was the exact moment when all my memories came back to me. That was when I realized that the intoxicating voice I had been listening to - that my mind craved, day in and day out, for I don't know how long, was the voice of my beautiful wife. The wife I'd only been married to for two months? _

_Was that all?_

_Had I missed out of part of my own life? _

_What the Hell had happened to me. I-I was supposed to be dead. I only had days to live, but I was. . .alive? _

_How was that possible?_

_Callie continued to hold my hand as she read, our fingers perfectly entwined. ". . .see the pyramids of Egypt, go skinny dipping. . .mmm, I like that one. . ."_

_Her voice trailed off, and all I was left with was silence. 'No, Callie! Please don't stop talking to me. I'm here, I'm right here,' I remember my brain shouting as I demanded my hands, my arms, my legs - anything - to move, to twitch, to give her a sign that I was okay and that I was trying to work my way back to her. _

_I even consciously planned, in my 'unconsciousness', how to make contact with her. Later that day, as she was giving me a sponge bath, I latched on to the idea that I could say 'thank you' when she finished, but just as she was about to do so, someone else entered the room, completely breaking my concentration. _

_'Damn it!' my clearing mind screamed._

_After that, I started to pay more attention to what was going on. I may not have been able to move or speak, but I sure as Hell could think, and at that point, my mind kicked in, jumping straight into doctor mode._

_There were so many things I needed to know._

_By listening to the voices of unknown nurses, Bailey, my parents, Alex, and Callie, I learned that, at that point in time, I had been in a coma for close to a month - that my wife had gone against my wishes that night at the beach house - that after finding me unconscious, she had begun CPR until the paramedics arrived. They had all but given up on me - I had been down for what I remember hearing was close to twenty or thirty minutes - when Callie grabbed the AED from one of the EMTs, desperately shocking me one final time. . ._

_And my heart again began to beat. . ._

_But, I was now in a post anoxic coma. _

_Great._

_"Damn it, Calliope," I wanted to shout. "This was exactly what I didn't want to happen. I wanted to go peacefully. In my sleep. At the beach. With you by my side."_

_My situation and my surroundings were perfectly set, but. . ._

_She couldn't let me go._

_She couldn't bear to be without me, so she did the only thing she could do._

_She saved my life._

_And she made the decision to begin an experimental treatment - one that had never before been attempted on a comatose patient - one that used a disabled form of H.I.V. to genetically reprogram my immune system to kill the cancer cells._

_When I realized this was what was happening, I was furious. _

_At Callie for not doing what I asked, but more so, at myself for being angry at her. How could I be upset with her for loving me? How could I be angry at the one person who loved me so much that she needed to try one more thing? How could I resent her for doing something that did indeed save my life? _

_And that was when I knew. _

_I needed to wake up. _

_I needed to have my say. _

_And I tried - fiercely - t0 pull myself out of this, but I couldn't. _

_I just wasn't strong enough. _

_So, I resigned myself to do what I could - to listen and to feel - and as I did, I learned that a sign that the cancer treatment was working was that I became terribly ill, with a raging fever and chills - a reaction that I remember Alex, Bailey, and a Dr. Porter calling 'shake and bake'. _

_"Seriously, guys? Shake and bake?" my mind shouted at them, and if I could have rolled my eyes, I would have. "That's not even funny. I'm in a coma, here. This treatment is literally killing me, and you're making jokes?"_

_Twice during my coma and treatment, I knew I was on the cusp of death - the first time was a remarkably matter-of-fact, unscary experience, because inside me, I was still a little miffed at Callie for placing me in this situation. I still had accepted that this was my fate - that this was what was supposed to happen - and I desperately wanted to be in control. Everything was beyond my power, though, and I once again pulled through. The second time, however, I felt I had a choice, and at that point. . ._

_I decided to live._

_For myself. For my friends. For my parents._

_But, most importantly for. . .Callie. For the woman who never gave up on me. For the woman who loved me so fiercely that she went against my wishes to save my life, and after making that decision, never - against all logic - did I doubt I would make a full recovery._

_And then. . .I slowly started to stabilize._

_Even after Bailey and Dr. Porter told Callie that there was no hope - that my chances of recovery were rated at one percent - she still refused to give up on me, demanding that the trial continue. _

_And thank God she did, because after that, I painstakingly began to emerge from the comatose fog I now had been living in for the past month and a half._

_I vividly remember the first time I was able to open my eyes - the first time I emerged from the land of shadows and shade that I had been residing in._

_The harshness of the light in the hospital room - no matter how dim it actually was - assaulted my senses, the visual stimulation sending a jolt to my brain, causing my mind to race._

_Blink._

_Darkness._

_Blink._

_I looked down my body to see my legs and feet covered by a brightly colored blanket that I recognized as the one that lay across the foot of my wife's bed in her apartment that I had only visited on one occasion. _

_Blink._

_Again darkness._

_Blink._

_Allowing my eyes to scan up my body, I saw a mass of unruly raven hair resting against my left arm as I felt her hand grasping mine._

_Calliope._

_Blink._

_Darkness._

_Blink._

_I tried to move my arm in an attempt to get my wife's attention, but I couldn't. _

_Blink._

_Again darkness. _

_Blink._

_I willed myself not to slip back into that lightless place - to gather up enough energy to somehow get her attention. Pursing my lips, I realized that they did indeed move before flicking my tongue out against my chapped lips._

_I swallowed hard. "You can do this, Arizona," my brain commanded._

_"Cal. . ." I glared down at the top of her head, willing her to hear me - begging that she look up in my direction "Cal. . .I. . ."_

_I then saw her head pop up from where it rested against my forearm, her mouth falling agape as she incredulously stared at me._

_Blink._

_Again darkness._

_Shit._

_"Cal. . .I lo. . ."_

_"Oh, oh my God," I heard Callie whisper. "Oh my God. Arizona? Arizona?"_

_"I lo. . ."_

_Blink._

_My wife's exhausted and concerned, but still gorgeous face was now staring back at me, and I desperately forced myself to open my eyes more fully so that I could hold her tearful chocolate gaze._

_"Cal. . .I. . ."_

_"What?" Callie hastily asked. "What?" _

_I swallowed hard. "I. . .I love. . .you."_

_And there it was. That heart stoppingly beautiful smile I had fallen in love with months ago. It lit her face brighter than all the lights of the western seaboard as a relieved laugh bubbled up from deep inside her._

_"Oh God, Arizona. I love you, too!" she happily replied in a rush, and then her lips were on mine - gentle, yet insistent - showing me just how much fear, anxiety, hope, and devastation she had experienced over the past month and a half. All the worry she felt. All the heartache she had been plagued by. All the faith mixed with despair that her tired and conflicted soul had suffered. _

_All the relief she was now consumed by._

_And, I kissed her back - as thoroughly and as passionately as my lethargic brain and sluggish muscles would allow. _

_God, it felt good. God, how I'd missed those lips, but just as soon as they were pressed lovingly against mine, they were gone, a flurry of doctors and nurses barging into the room to check my vitals, my neurologic functioning, my. . .everything._

_"She's awake?" I heard my mother exclaim from the doorway leading to my hospital room. _

_"She's awake," Callie quietly confirmed after being pushed away from my bed by her insistent best friend._

_"Look at me, Arizona," Miranda demanded as she flashed a penlight in my face. "Follow the light with your eyes."_

_So I did._

_"Don't you ever scare me like that again," Miranda caustically stated. "Do you hear me?" _

_But, that was just the beginning. After that, I suffered subsequent periods of unconsciousness followed by days of conscious awakening, and while I was awake, the rehabilitation process began. My mind was still intact - I suffered no neurologic deficits - but my physical body was another story. My muscles had atrophied over the period of my forty-six day coma, despite the best efforts of Callie, Alex, and my parents who persistently kept my flaccid extremities in motion._

_So while I continued the treatment for the leukemia, I started a grueling regimen of rehabilitation. Physical and occupational therapies were brutal. _

_They were frustrating. _

_They totally fucking sucked. _

_On top of the treatment making me feel sick, fatigued and basically just. . .worthless, the therapy made me feel helpless and with that, I once again became angry. _

_Angry at the world. _

_Angry at God for doing this to me, but mostly angry at Callie because she was the one who was ultimately responsible for this. _

_She was the one who made the decision to save my life. The one who made the decision to attempt CPR, therefore placing me in a coma for a month and a half. The one who decided to start an experimental treatment that was making me ill, causing me to be such a. . .weakling. _

_It was such a vicious cycle. _

_A catch twenty-two. _

_I hated her, but yet at the same time, I loved her so freaking much. _

_"You're not weak, Arizona," Callie contended in the middle of one of my private physical therapy sessions. "You can do this."_

_"I didn't ask your opinion, Calliope," I shouted back, unable to contain the venom I was feeling toward her._

_Callie stared at me with crestfallen eyes as though I had just slapped her across the face. "I'll come back. . ." she muttered as she turned to leave, but then she stopped, halting her departure. Turning back to face me, her face no longer held sadness, but instead, I saw nothing but determination and love. "Enough of this!" she insisted. "You need to get up. You need to take a few steps and remember how it feels, and I'm sorry. I know how hard this is, but you want this. You do. . ."_

_"Ha!" I angrily spat at her. "You have no idea what I want! If you did, I wouldn't be here right now! I wouldn't be in pain! I wouldn't be suffering like this! You did this. You did this to me!"_

_I remember watching as my wife blew out an exasperated breath as she charged toward me. "Okay, okay," she spoke more to herself than to me as she moved my feet from the leg rests of the wheelchair I was sitting in. "You know what? You can be scared, and you can be pissed, and you can sit here like a garden slug until you die for all I care. . ."_

_I incredulously stared at Callie as she moved the leg rest out of my way before turning to grab a walker as my physical therapist did nothing but look on. ". . .but, you will not become a monster who takes everyone else down with them. You will treat people with kindness and respect, and you will start with yourself. . ."_

_Callie took my left hand and placed it on the armrest of the wheelchair before doing the same with my right. Leaning over the walker, she then tightly wrapped both of her arms around my torso. ". . .then you will start by standing up, and you will do so by the time I count to three, or I will drag your ass out of this chair. So. . .one! Two!. . ."_

_Something inside me clicked. She wasn't doing this to torture me. She wasn't doing this because she hated me, but instead. . .because she loved me. Because she wanted what was best for me. Because she wanted to spend the rest of her life with me._

_"Three!"_

_Leaning into Callie's body, I pushed upward, depending on her strong arms to steady me if I stumbled. To be there to catch me if I fell._

_And she was._

_Every day for another month and a half, Callie was there. Encouraging me. Cheering me on. Picking me up when I fell. Crying with me when I needed to cry and laughing with me when there was nothing else I could do. _

_And she's still here. Right now. . .lovingly gazing at me through the glass of my hospital room window. Staring into those eyes that are filled with nothing but the most genuine love and affection, I feel my heart swell, and I know that without a doubt - once again - my life is about to change._

* * *

Stepping through the doorway and into a room that had been her home for the past several months, a bright smile consumed Callie's face, her expressive chocolate eyes focusing on nothing but the bright blue ones staring at her from where Arizona sat cross-legged in the middle of the bed.

"Hey, babe," the blonde greeted as Callie bent down to lay a less than chaste kiss against moist pink lips. "Where've you been? I missed you."

Callie took her usual seat next to her wife's bed, a contemplative look taking over her features.

The expression not going unnoticed, Arizona reached out to take Callie's hand between her own. "You okay?" she asked, a look of regard covering her face as she drew abstract patterns over the smooth skin covering her wife's wrist.

A sigh left the Latina's plump lips as she carefully chose her words. "I've been here for a while, but I decided to take a little walk. I-I'm just feeling a little nervous. . .no more like _anxious_ today. . .I guess."

Arizona stared at her wife with concerned, loving eyes. "Talk to me, Calliope. What's going on?"

Callie held Arizona's gaze, after looking at closed, comatose eyelids for a month and a half, she just couldn't get enough of those beautiful cerulean eyes. "Sometimes. . .I just start to think. About all the things that have happened in the past year, and sometimes. . .it's all just so _surreal_. You know?"

When Arizona didn't respond, only nodding instead, Callie decided to continue. "I love you, Arizona. So much. And the fact that you're getting better, now - that we've been given extra time to continue on with our life - to share moments and make memories together, just. . .it's what I've always wanted, and I guess I worry that maybe it's too good to be true." The Latina shook her head, her own thoughts not sounding as eloquent as she hoped they would when they were formulated into words. "I'm so, so happy, babe. . .but, it's going to take some getting used to."

Arizona stared directly into her wife's moist brown eyes. Reaching up to rest her palms against the sides of Callie's face, she nodded her head. "I know what you mean, sweetie. I never thought I'd live to see the day when I was cancer free. I mean, I hoped, and I prayed, but I guess deep down, I never thought it would happen. And maybe it still hasn't happened, maybe the trial wasn't a success, I don't know, but. . ." Arizona trailed off as she wiped a lone tear from a smooth caramel cheek. ". . .but, we're in this together, just like we've always been. If it happens, we'll work on getting used to it. Together."

A relieved sigh escaped Callie's mouth as she leaned forward to capture her wife's lips with her own. The kiss was gentle, but passionate - insistent - and when the Latina's tongue breached Arizona's lips, a satisfied moan escaped her throat.

"Enough of that!" Miranda immediately scolded as she stepped into the room. "How many times do I have to tell you two to keep the monkey business to a minimum on my unit?"

Arizona only pulled away the slightest bit, her lips still resting against the full ones she was so addicted to. "Callie?"

"Hmm?"

"I know Bailey's your best friend, but I really hate her right now."

Callie pecked at her wife's lips before pulling back with a sly grin on her face.

Miranda stepped up next to the bed, a stack of papers tightly gripped in her hands. "Well, if you hate me so much, I guess you're not interested in seeing these. . ." she trailed off, waving the forms in the air.

Arizona didn't think twice, quickly reaching out to snatch the papers from her doctor, bringing them down to scan over the words written across the top of the first page.

_SGMW HOSPITAL DISCHARGE FORM_

_Please Complete This Form Prior To Patient's Discharge From Facility_

Arizona's eyes glazed over with unshed tears, her head instantly popping up to glance between her wife and doctor. "I. . .umm. . ." she trailed off, hastily reaching up to brush a tear from her face. "I. . ."

Sensing her wife's overwhelming bewilderment, Callie stood from her chair, moving to sit next to her on the bed. Wrapping a strong arm around her, she pulled her closer to her. "We thought you'd be happy, sweetie. Please, tell me you're happy."

With tears dripping down her cheeks, Arizona quickly turned toward her wife. "Y-you knew? And didn't tell me?"

Before Callie could respond, a body appeared in the doorway, the face of the visitor completely obstructed by an obnoxious amount of balloons. Poking his head around his helium-filled offering, Alex smiled, taking in the surprised look on his best friend's face. "So, Robbins. . .I hear you're getting sprung today."

Callie continued to hold Arizona close, a megawatt smile covering her face. "You knew, too?" Arizona asked, a shocked tone lacing her choked voice.

Daniel and Barbara soon appeared in the doorway, relieved smiles tugging at the corners of both of their lips. "You guys knew, too? Why exactly am I the last to know about this?" Arizona asked upon reading the looks on her parents' faces.

Callie leaned in to kiss her wife's temple. "We wanted to surprise you, babe. So. . .SURPRISE!"

Arizona cleared her throat as she once again glanced down at the papers in her hand that had gone forgotten. "So. . .just to clarify," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "This isn't just a discharge from the hospital because you're tired of seeing me make out with my wife. . .right?"

Miranda smirked, stepping closer to her patient. "As much as I do hate walking in on the two of you, that's not the reason."

Arizona looked around the room at all the people she held so dear. "So what you're saying is. . ." she paused, her emotions getting the better of her.

Callie looked toward Miranda, a silent nod from her best friend allowing her the go ahead to break the news. "What we're saying is. . ." she drew out her response.

"Just say it, Calliope. Please."

"You're cancer free, baby."

Arizona wanted to shout, she wanted to cheer, but she was wholly unable to stop herself from succombing to a fit of joyous tears. Holding her close as she cried, Callie never let her go, kissing the top of her head.

"Say it again," Arizona begged through her tears.

"You're cancer free," Miranda immediately replied.

"You're cancer free," Alex repeated.

"You're cancer free, sweetheart," Daniel and Barbara both chorused in unison.

Raising her arms into the air, Arizona threw herself back onto the bed, her feet happily kicking against the mattress as she dissolved into a fit of overjoyed delight, squealing and giggling as tears continued to fall. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

The remainder of the people in her room couldn't help but laugh right along with Arizona's relieved excitement, tears shed from more than one set of ecstatic eyes. Composing herself enough to finally sit up on the bed, she reached into her doctor's pocket, grabbing a pen she knew she would find. Signing her name on the discharge paperwork with a flourish, she wiped her eyes as she leaned back against her wife.

"So, good lookin'. . .you ready to blow this joint?" Callie asked, a breathtakingly stunning smile consuming not only her lips, but her eyes as well.

Grasping onto the sides of her wife's face, Arizona pulled her in for a hard kiss. Finally pulling away, she nuzzled her nose against a tanned cheek. "Yes, Calliope. Yes! I'm so ready to start living my life."

* * *

**AN: **This story is drawing to an end – the following chapter will be the last. We really hope you have enjoyed this journey, and we are thrilled that so many of you stuck around with us. Thanks so much for reading, and we look forward to seeing what you think! Reviews and comments are always welcome!


	17. Chapter 15

**Title**: All the Love That We Shared

**Author**: HandsThatHeal

**Co-Author**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: We can fight it - we can try to run, but sometimes, certain people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. Can Callie Torres save her heart from being broken after falling in love with a terminally ill Arizona Robbins?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN**: If you are reading this, you have reached the end. Thank you so much for sticking with us throughout this emotional roller coaster of a journey. It's been wonderful reading each and every one of your comments and reviews! Thanks so much!

* * *

_**Chapter Fifteen**_

* * *

Alex happily pushed a wheelchair into Arizona's hospital room, the goofy smile tugging at his lips completely out of character compared to the usual snarky face he wore. "You ready to get out of here?" he asked as he moved the chair closer to his best friend who was packing up the last of her clothes into a suitcase.

Arizona rolled her eyes. "I certainly am ready to get out of here, but if you think I'm getting into that thing, you're full of shit, my friend," she chastised, the ecstatic grin she had been wearing since signing her discharge paperwork just a half hour prior never leaving her face.

"Arizona. . ."

"Sweetheart. . ."

"Babe. . ."

Daniel, Barbara, and Callie simultaneously admonished, matching looks of exasperation present on all three faces.

Arizona once again rolled her eyes before blowing out a breath through pursed lips. "Look," she began, her eyes flicking between her parents, her best friend, and her wife. "All of you. . ." she continued, watching as Callie looked away, trying mightily to evade her scowl. "You too, Calliope. . ."

Callie's guilty eyes slowly looked up in the blonde's direction. "Arizona. . ."

"I know you're all worried about me," Arizona was quick to interrupt. "But. . .you don't have to worry. Not anymore. I'm healed. I'm strong. Thanks to all the rehab kicking my ass, I'm stronger now than I ever was before. . .even before I was diagnosed," she paused, throwing the lid of her suitcase closed before zipping it shut. "I know this is going to take time, and some getting used to. For all of us. . .but, please. I'm so tired of being the patient. Can you all please just look at me as your daughter?" she glanced toward her parents with pleading eyes. "As your best friend?" her eyes moved to a guilty looking Alex. "And. . .as your wife?" Callie sheepishly looked away, glancing toward the other people in the room.

After several long moments of silence, Alex was the first to speak. "You're right, Robbins," he said, folding up the wheelchair with a flourish to accentuate his point. "But. . ." he continued with a smirk on his face. ". . .you may be strong, but I can so still kick your ass!"

"Ha!" Arizona immediately challenged with a laugh. "Yeah, right!"

Alex laughed, reveling in the banter he was granted the opportunity to continue sharing with the best friend he add come so close to losing. Just as he was about to shoot off a witty come back, the sound of his pager penetrated the air of the small room. Looking down at his hip, he quickly glanced back up. "Duty calls," he commented as he fiddled with the buttons on the device. Backing out of the room, pulling the wheelchair along with him, he called out, "But, I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay," Arizona happily agreed, waving goodbye to her friend as he disappeared out the door. Pulling up the handle of the large wheeled suitcase she had been packing, she tugged it across the tiled floor. "Would you mind taking this back to the apartment?" she asked her parents as she stepped closer to them. "It's like the fifth day out of the year that I've been in Seattle that it's not raining," she said with a smile. "And if it's okay with the two of you, I'd like to take a little walk with my wife."

Barbara smiled lovingly before reaching out to embrace Arizona as Daniel removed the duffle bag from Callie's shoulder. "Of course," he stated with a proud smile as he commandeered the handle of the suitcase from her. "We'll see you back at the apartment."

Pulling back, Barbara stared at her daughter as only a mother can, all the love, compassion, pride, and joy she felt in the presence of her little girl sparkling in her eyes. Playing with the short hair behind Arizona's ear, she quickly brushed a happy tear from her own eye. "You go," she said with a smile. "Have fun, and we'll see you soon."

Arizona once again embraced her mother. "No more tears, mom," she said into her shoulder. "I'm here, okay? And I'm not going anywhere."

Leaning away, the two Robbins women smiled at each other, a silent understanding seemingly transferring between mother and daughter. With a nod of her head, Barbara stepped to the side, warm heartedly watching as her daughter reached out to embrace her beautiful wife's hand.

Arizona tugged Callie toward the door, adamant that she was going to walk out of this hospital under her own power. Wrapping her arm around Arizona's waist, the Latina gently kissed her temple. "You ready?"

"I'm ready."

* * *

Moments later, Callie and Arizona exited the automatic double doors of the main hospital entrance, their hands perfectly entwined. "Where are we going?" Callie asked as she pulled down a pair of sunglasses to cover her wyes from where they rested atop her head, walking slightly behind and allowing her wife to lead the way.

Arizona smiled, dimples popping as her eyes twinkled in the mid-morning sunlight. "I think you know," she coyly replied, sliding her own pair of oversized sunglasses onto her face.

Hand in hand, the couple walked through the parking lot of Seattle Grace Mercy West in the direction of their favorite spot, both women enjoying the uncharacteristic lack of rain, the sunshine warming their skin. It was one of those rare days that wasn't too hot or too cold, but really just - perfect - and for more reasons than just the weather. Glancing sidelong at her wife, Callie couldn't help but smile. Arizona was just so - happy - radiant. She was literally glowing.

Sensing the Latina's gaze, Arizona turned her attention toward her, smiling shyly when she caught Callie staring at her. "What?" she asked.

"What, what?"

"You're staring, Calliope."

Callie smiled, her signature megawatt grin lighting her face. "I'm pretty sure I have that right," she jokingly contended.

"Okay, fine. . .but _why_ are you staring?"

The Latina squeezed her wife's hand as she ran her thumb over the smooth ivory skin covering her knuckles. "It's really quite simple, Arizona," she began as they started up the hill leading to their destination. "You're here. You're healthy. You're my wife, and. . .that little pixie haircut you've got going on there is sexy as Hell."

Arizona laughed heartily at her wife's response. "Well, you know. . ." she seductively trailed off, disentangling their hands to wrap her arm around a curvaceous waist. "You aren't so bad yourself," she drawled, her eyebrows wagging up and down behind her sunglasses.

"Yeah, I know," Callie immediately teased with a flirtatious shrug of her shoulders.

Leaning in closer to her wife, Arizona tipped her head to the side before reaching forward to push sunglasses up into raven hair. Pressing forward, she gently brushed her lips against moist plump ones, the electricity that was always present when they touched, shooting throughout her body. Meaning for it to simply be a short and sweet joining of their mouths, they momentarily lingered before Callie slightly pulled away. "Come on," she urged with a sigh against pink lips. "We're almost there."

* * *

Soon arriving at the park, Callie made a beeline for her favorite spot on their bench. Taking her seat, she waited patiently for the blonde to join her, but to her surprise, her wife didn't follow. Sitting back, she crossed one leg over the other, quietly watching as Arizona stared out over the city, an adoring smile consuming the Latina's face.

Deciding to step further into the clearing, Arizona reveled in the shining sun and the clearest blue Seattle sky she had ever witnessed. The air around her was fresh - a drastic difference to the stale hospital air she had become so accustomed to breathing - and inhaling deeply, she sighed as she slowly exhaled the oxygen from her lungs.

It had been too long since she was able to just appreciate nature - too long since she had been outside surrounded by such beauty. Stretching out her arms to her sides, she tilted her face upward, her eyes as blue as the sky above, taking in anything and everything above her. Caught up in her own thoughts and feelings, Arizona smiled as the sun's rays tickled her face, the sounds of birds in the distance reaching her ears. All her senses felt heightened - enhanced and on high alert - and it was one of the best feelings in the world.

Because. . .she never thought she would be here.

Not in this park.

Not surrounded by such scenic grandeur as she remembered time spent in this very spot.

And certainly not with her gorgeous wife only a few feet away from her.

Arizona had been ready to die. She had accepted it. She had almost embraced death's awaiting arms, but by a miracle - in the form of a gorgeous Latina - she had survived. She had lived to see another day, and then another, and now she would live to see not only days, but months and years.

She would get to live her life with her wife by her side. They could plan a family and travel the world. She could become the kick ass pediatric surgeon she had always dreamed of being and as she watched couples stroll through the park, children laughing and dogs chasing their own tails, she vowed then and there that not one day would pass that she did not appreciate _everyone_ and _everything_ around her.

She would tell Callie that she loved her every day.

She would call her parents every single week.

She would be the best friend she could be for Alex, and she would even put up with Bailey's remarks about how disgustingly cute she and Callie tended to be.

There was nothing that felt out of her reach - nothing unattainable - and that thought warmed her heart, filling her mind and body with immense joy. There was no immediate expiration date on her life. There was no need to say goodbye or plan her funeral or worry about her future because finally. . .

She was free.

Callie smiled as she watched her wife, delighting in the fact that, surrounded by such lush vegetation, with all of nature's colors swirling around her, Arizona had never looked more beautiful. Of course, she had always been gorgeous. Miraculous. Breathtakingly stunning, but as she watched her enjoy the simple pleasures of life, she had never been more lovely, and Callie had never been more in love. This was the first time that Arizona was actually _free_. The first time she was able to leave the hospital and not go back, and that was definitely something worth celebrating.

"Hey, beautiful," Arizona cooed as she approached her wife, easily moving to straddle her lap.

Callie smiled as her hand automatically landed on a slim waist. "Hey, sweetie. You alright?" she checked, leaning up to peck at pink lips.

"I'm perfect, Calliope. I couldn't be any happier," Arizona replied with a gleam in her eye. After a momentary pause, she cocked her head to the side. "Actually that's a lie," she admitted, her voice dropping an octave as she slid her hands up along exposed tanned arms before coming to rest around a neck that was begging to be kissed.

Callie saw the twinkle in her wife's eye, and wasn't deaf to the way Arizona's voice lowered to a sexy whisper. She remembered a time when they were in a very similar position - in this exact same spot. A time when Callie had all but thrown her then girlfriend off her in an attempt to halt her seductive advances, but now - despite the fact that it was the middle of the day and that people were strolling through the park - she couldn't think of anything better than having her amazing wife provocatively sitting on her lap, their bodies intimately pressed together. "Hmm, lying to your wife?" Callie teased in a hushed whisper. "I'm not sure that's acceptable, Arizona. I think you need to tell me the truth."

Leaning in close, Arizona brought her mouth to an ear, noticing the way the Latina shivered as her breath ghosted across her lobe. It delighted her. It excited her. It spurred her on. "Are you sure you can handle the truth, Calliope?" she questioned in a sultry tone.

Swallowing hard, Callie licked her lips before pulling back, her eyes boring into those of her wife. "Trust me, babe. I can handle it."

A wanton fire, unbridled lust, and shameless passion burned through Arizona veins at the sexy look her wife was giving her. It had been so long - _too_ long since she had been able to feel her wife, to just take her time and touch her and to kiss her. Now, though, she had unlimited time - all the time in the world - and the way Callie was looking at her, the way her tanned fingers were stroking the bare flesh between her jeans and sweatshirt, set her on fire. "The truth. . .is that I want to kiss you. I want to touch you. I want to feel you tremble underneath me. I want _you_, Callie," Arizona honestly answered, her voice shaking with the need that was now consuming her.

Callie knew they were in public. She knew that anyone could walk along and see them, but, in this moment she really didn't care. She'd had too many moments of fear, of pain and of uncertainty, and right now she was on a high. Her wife was alive, and she was going to stay that way, and. . .she was currently sitting on her lap, her breath heavy against her own flushed face. Allowing her fingertips to dig in to the slim hips she loved so much, Callie leaned in closely. "Kiss me, Arizona. Please."

Unable to stop a moan from breaching her lips, Arizona didn't need to be asked twice. Moving in, she connected her lips with the full ones of her wife, their mouths eagerly opening, tongues dueling for control. As a pale hand tangled in long raven locks, the other sliding dangerously close to a clothed breast, their mouths moving in sync. Momentarily breaking for air, they immediately dove back in, the kiss they shared wrought with a passion not forgotten, but renewed.

Before too long, Arizona's arousal was teetering on the edge, her hips subconsciously beginning to move against her wife's abdomen as her own hand that rested so precariously close to a breast moved to its intended destination.

Inside Callie's lust filled brain, she heard alarms going off, but the erotic longing she felt proved stronger than her resolve. The sensation of Arizona's hand on her breast, two fingers eagerly pinching an already hardened nipple sending a shock of pleasure to her system, and try as she might, she did not have enough willpower to stop her.

"I want you, Calliope. So much," Arizona husked as they reluctantly broke for air, her heart pounding as her pulse roared in her ears. Leaning back in to capture bruised lips, she pondered the repercussions of spending a few hours behind bars for indecent exposure - for having sex in a public place - because she was mere moments away from doing so.

Trying to control her own ragged breathing, Callie looked around them, thanking God that there was no one in their immediate vicinity. Smiling cheekily, she kept one hand around Arizona's waist while the other moved in to cup her wife's center through the scratchy denim material of her jeans.

The effect was immediate, causing Arizona to let out a loud moan, her hips forcefully bucking into her wife's hand. "Callie!" she hissed, her body thrumming with pleasure.

Callie's lips moved down her wife's neck. "Arizona. . .I just wanted to let you know. . .that I want you, too. So fucking much," she husked, giving her wife's burning center one last stroke before quickly removing her hand.

Arizona audibly groaned. "No! Don't stop! Seriously, Calliope. You've got me all worked up, here," she argued.

Tipping her head back with a hearty laugh, Callie then kissed her wife, both of her hands linking at the small of her back to hold her steady. "Sweetheart, we've been through this before. We _cannot_ have sex in public. . .as hot as that may sound."

Arizona's bottom lip immediately jutted out into the most adorable pout Callie had ever seen. "You suck!" she complained, giving Callie her best puppy dog eyes.

"I certainly can suck. . ." Callie began, but that was all the further she got before a hand was covering her mouth, blue eyes narrowing as they bore into brown.

"Mean, Calliope! Really mean!"

Callie once again captured her wife's lips, tugging on that pouting bottom lip with her teeth before letting it go with a playful pop. "I'm sorry, babe," she apologized, throwing Arizona her own puppy dog look. "I promise to behave. For now. . . "

Arizona rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine," she half-heartedly relented. "But, can I at least cop one more feel before we go?" Arizona asked, her face completely serious, causing Callie to let out a booming laugh before kissing her adorable wife on her nose and pushing her carefully up and off her lap.

"What are you sixteen?" Callie asked as she stood from her seat. Turning toward her wife, she offered an outstretched hand. "Come on, you big goof. Let's go."

With a huff, Arizona took the proffered hand, tangling their fingers together as they began their journey out of the park and toward their home. "I was serious about copping a feel, Calliope," she mumbled with a cheesy grin.

Stopping in her stride, Callie turned toward her wife, smiling as she moved forward to kiss her. It wasn't fast or furious like before, but this time, soft and tender, but no less passionate. "I love you, Arizona," she softly stated once the kiss came to its gradual end. "So very much."

Nearly melting on the spot, Arizona fully embraced her wife, her nose nuzzling against her ear. "I love you, too."

* * *

Exiting the park with her wife by her side, Callie squeezed Arizona's hand, happier than she had been in a very long time. Thinking back, she realized that the last time they left their spot, they were heading back to the hospital, and not long after that, Arizona's health had started to deteriorate. Now however, as they held hands on a beautiful summer day, her heart was filled with nothing but overwhelming happiness. No more hospital stays, no more watching Arizona suffer, and no more having to worry about a future spent in misery.

A future spent alone.

A future that thankfully didn't come true.

Watching as Arizona moved in the direction of the apartment, the Latina stopped her forward progress. "My car is parked in the hospital lot, sweetheart," she matter-of-factly stated, pulling her wife in the opposite direction.

Arizona questioningly regarded the Latina before speaking. "We don't need the car, Calliope," she insisted. "I feel fine. I can walk the rest of the way."

"I know you feel fine, Arizona," Callie quickly interrupted. "But I have a surprise for you, and in order to see the surprise, we have to take the car."

Callie didn't offer any further information, a jovial grin playing across her face as she watched her wife trying to formulate the words necessary to put up a fight. Once they reached the car, Arizona stood next to the passenger's side door, her arms adamantly crossed over her chest. "Tell me where we're going, Callie," she demanded with a huff. "I really hate surprises. They are creepy, and they make me nervous a-and cranky, and. . ."

"I can see that," Callie replied with a small chuckle as she reached behind Arizona to open the door, bumping her wife in the bottom with it in the process.

"Hey!" Arizona scolded, though a pleased smile twitched at her lips. "Can't you just tell me."

Callie sighed as deep brown eyes rolled around in their sockets. "I'm trying to be romantic here, Arizona. So. . .if you could please just comply, that would be great. I promise this surprise isn't going to be dark or hostile. No one will be jumping out at you. It's just a. . ._thing_."

"A _thing_, Calliope? Seriously?" the blonde rolled her eyes, though she moved to situate herself into the passenger's seat of the car.

"Yes, Arizona. . .a _thing_."

* * *

Sitting in silence as they drove, Callie couldn't help but smirk at the adorable pout that had taken up residence on her wife's face ever since she took her seat in the car. Reaching out with her right hand, the Latina took a smooth pale one into her own. "It's not much further," she supplied, reveling in the feeling of the strong grip Arizona now held on her hand.

Arizona looked out the window to her right, watching as the scenery passed them by. "This is a neighborhood, Callie. These are all houses," she commented, her gaze shifting from the window toward her wife.

"They are. . ." Callie drawled out as she flipped on the blinker, indicating that they were turning left. Pulling into a driveway in front of a house, the Latina turned off the car. "And. . .here we are."

Arizona still looked confused, but as realization dawned, she made no move to exit the car. Sensing her wife's bewilderment, Callie gathered her bag onto her shoulder before rushing around the car to help the blonde. Opening the passenger's side door, she reached in, smiling when Arizona once again took her hand.

As they stood hand in hand staring at the house, Callie's glance then moved to Arizona's surprised face. "This is the house I showed you, isn't it? The one I loved in that real estate magazine. . .months ago?"

Tugging Arizona along behind her, Callie happy bounced up the four steps leading onto the front porch before bending down and removing a key from under the welcome mat. Dangling the key in front of her wife's face, a megawatt smile took over her features for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. She couldn't help it. She was just so freaking happy.

Letting them into the house, the Latina motioned for Arizona to carry on through the home, allowing herself time to take a tour.

Arizona was speechless, but after her wide-eyed features moved from her wife's gorgeous face to her surroundings, a giant dimpled smile lit her face. "D-did you _buy_ this?" she asked as she began to move through the foyer toward the living area, her movement quick and cheerful like a kid at Christmas.

Callie happily followed behind, enjoying the lightheartedness of the moment. "I didn't. . ." she began as she stepped up to lean against the granite countertop in the kitchen. "But I will - _we will_ - if you want. It's yours if you like it."

There were a lot of words Callie thought to describe the look on Arizona's face, and she wasn't sure which quite fit. Amazed. Shocked. Ecstatic. Surprised. Elated. Overjoyed. But, no matter the word used, it was enough to just see Arizona so. . ._happy_. So healthy, and just so. . ._alive_.

Arizona clasped her hands together, her body excitedly bouncing up and down before she took off like a shot through the kitchen. "The floors are gorgeous!" she excitedly stated. "And these countertops. . ." she trailed off, running her hands over the smooth surface.

"You should check out the fridge," Callie offered, pointing in that direction.

Ignoring her wife's request, Arizona continued into the dining area, stepping up to the French doors leading out to the deck outside.

"You should check it out," Callie led, nervously beginning to wring her hands together.

"What?"

"The ice maker."

Arizona looked confused. "It's lovely."

"You have to open it," Callie urged, stepping closer to the appliance. "It has a special, umm. . .ice feature."

Arizona's brow furrowed, the dimpled smile that had covered her face for the past ten minutes slightly falling. "What, Callie? Does the ice come in different shaped cubes or something?" the blonde joked with a roll of her eyes as she made her way across the kitchen to take the freezer door into her hand.

Callie only smiled as she leaned against the side by side doors, closely watching as her wife opened the door, the blonde's forehead scrunching in confusion when she didn't find any special ice feature, any food, or anything else that belonged inside the appliance.

What Arizona did find were two envelopes, her name written on the front of each in Callie's large scrawl. Slowly pulling them out, she turned in her wife's direction. "Umm. . ." was all that left the blonde's mouth, hoping that would be enough for the Latina to supply her with some sort of explanation.

Callie nervously smiled before clearing her throat. "Open that one first," she instructed, pointing to the envelope in Arizona's right hand.

Doing as instructed Arizona tore open the envelope, carefully pulling out the tattered piece of paper she found within. Unfolding the creased parchment, her eyes went wide, her mouth falling agape when she realized what it was.

Her bucket list.

Staring down at her own handwriting that filled the page, memories instantly came flooding back to her.

Laughing and joking with Callie as they made the list.

Callie surprising her with Carter and checking the _adopt a puppy_ item off the list.

Getting married and finally being able to make love to her wife.

And then she remembered the intoxicating voice who had read this very list to her over and over again while she was in a comatose haze only three months ago.

Glancing from the paper toward her wife, Arizona's eyes brimmed with tears. "I-I remember you reading this to me while I was in a coma, and I was surprised. I assumed you would have thrown it away," she quietly admitted.

Callie reached out to gently brush a lone tear from her wife's pale cheek. "Believe me, I thought about it," she honestly admitted. "But. . .w-when things got _bad_, I remember finding it and my first thought was to rip it up and throw it away, but I couldn't. You put a lot of effort into this list, and I couldn't do that. These were your dreams. They _are_ your dreams, Arizona, and I promised that I would help you check off each and every single item."

Arizona's gaze flicked from her wife's chocolate orbs toward the crinkled and worn paper before once again getting lost in the Latina's expressive brown eyes. "I don't know what to say, Calliope," she admitted with a sigh. "I've just been so focused on getting better and spending as much time as I could with you and my parents and Alex that _this_ completely slipped my mind. And now, I'm just so happy to be out of that hospital and so happy to be alive, that I feel like I really don't need it anymore. I have you, and that's more than I could have ever hoped for."

Shaking her head, Callie stepped impossibly closer to her wife before gently taking the list from her hand. "You're right," she agreed with a smile. "You do have me, but you deserve so much more. You deserve everything this world has to offer, sweetheart, and I. . .I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that you get it. You told me before that it's not a bucket list, it's a _what I want to do in life _list. You've already marked off a couple things, so what's a few more? You deserve to be happy, and you deserve the opportunity to try and finish this list. I want to help you do that, Arizona, so please, for me. . .open the other envelope."

Arizona held Callie's imploring gaze before silently nodding her head as she picked up the second envelope, her fingers carefully sliding beneath the seal to open it. Once opened, she tipped the envelope on its side, the contents landing in the palm of her open hand.

Realizing what now lay in her hand, the blonde's eyes widened as she gasped aloud. Looking up into her wife's magical eyes, she saw a nervous smile on her perfect face - she saw apprehension, but also determination and hope.

"Callie?" Arizona questioned, her hands beginning to shake. "W-what's this?" she dumbly asked even though she knew exactly what it was.

"What does it look like, babe?" Callie returned with her own question, a radiant smile growing on her face.

Fingering the tickets in her hand, Arizona couldn't believe what she saw. This was something they had talked about many times before. She had dreamed about it - especially the more ill she became - because this dream was one that never ceased to bring a smile to her face. "Well. . ." she began, her voice slightly cracking. "It looks like. . .two tickets - first class - to Paris!" she finished with a squeak.

Callie laughed at her wife's stunned - but a good kind of stunned - reaction. Moving behind the shorter woman, she wrapped her arms around her waist, resting her chin on her shoulder before turning her head to lay a kiss against her temple. "We got a second chance - a chance that I hoped and prayed for - but one that I honestly didn't think we'd get," the Latina admitted, her voice thick with emotion. "We need to grasp onto this and run with it because you deserve this, Arizona. We_ both _do. But, I know you - and I know that you're going to think about this way too hard. I can feel you stressing already, and there's no need to. This is a good thing, babe. I promise," she gently stated, not wanting to pressure the blonde, but trying instead to gently encourage.

Because this was for her, too, and she needed time to be with Arizona.

Time to make up for what they had missed out on.

Time to just be happy and married and in love.

Callie was fully aware, however, that Arizona was not impulsive. She wasn't the kind of person to fly by the seat of her pants. Instead, she was someone who needed a plan - a very well thought out one, at that. Someone who demanded to know what was going on at all times of the day.

"What about your job? You've already taken off so much time. I can't expect you to put your life on hold for me forever, Calliope," Arizona earnestly replied as she broke their embrace, turning to look at the Latina.

Frowning, Callie shook her head before taking her wife's hands into her own. "I'm not putting my life on hold, and even if I am, I don't care. This is _our_ life now, Arizona. You and me. That's all that matters to me," she replied, desperately hoping she could make her wife understand. Clearing her throat, she carefully chose her words. "When you were sick, I told myself that if you got better - if you just lived - that I would do anything for you. And now. . .here we are. You lived, and it might sound selfish, but I know you did it for me. . ."

"Callie. . ."

"I want this, sweetie," the taller woman quickly interrupted. "My job is just. . .a job, and after experiencing this past year, I've come to realize that you are all that matters - _we_ are all that matters."

"You've really thought about this, haven't you?"

Callie nodded her head. "I've spoken to the Chief, and he granted me an extended leave of absence under special circumstances. So, you and I - if you still want to - will finish our residencies beginning next fall," Callie offered, hoping she wasn't being too presumptuous.

Arizona was stunned - she couldn't believe her ears. She was speechless. She was overwhelmed, and in that moment, she realized that she had just fallen even more in love with Callie Torres than she ever thought possible, because. . .this woman was amazing and wonderful and she was offering to help her achieve every single one of her dreams.

"There's nothing stopping us from packing our bags and leaving today if you want. All you have to do is say the word. If you don't want to go to Paris, then we won't. If you'd rather, we can book a plane and go skydiving, or we can go to the nearest beach or lake or-or pool, strip off all our clothes and go skinny dipping. I don't care what we do, Arizona, as long as whatever we do, we do it together," Callie passionately rambled as she pulled Arizona into her, their bodies melding together, arms automatically locking around waists.

Hearing Callie's impassioned words - seeing nothing but genuine honesty and love – written on all of her features - brought tears to her own blue eyes, because everything her wife had just mentioned, Arizona wanted, too. She didn't care where they were or what they were doing, as long as they were together. That was all that mattered now - all that had ever really mattered. They had a second chance - _she _had a second chance at life - and she wasn't going to waste one moment of it. "Yes."

Callie opened her mouth to dispute her wife's negative response, but suddenly realized what she had said. "Yes?" she questioned in surprise. "Yes what? Yes you want to go skydiving or-or yes you want to go skinny dipping, or. . ."

Laughing, Arizona leaned in, her forehead resting against that of her wife. "Yes, Calliope. To all of it. Yes to the skydiving and the skinny dipping and yes to going to Paris and buying this house," she happily agreed. "You are so, _so_ right. This is _our_ life now, and I don't want to waste one more moment of it. I never thought I'd be here. I mean, like you, I hoped and I prayed, but I honestly. . .I'd given up on myself. Now though, I. . ._we_ have a second chance, and we're going to use it. I want to live a life with you. I want to make up for the past year, and I want us to start now," she emotionally replied.

Callie stared into her wife's eyes, wholly unable to stop the sob that broke free from her chest. It was one of happiness. One of hope. One of certainty about a happy future spent with her wife - because finally - all of her dreams were coming true, and all because of the woman she now held in her arms. She had waited for this day, prayed for it, fought long and hard for it, and now she finally got to live it. "Thank you, Arizona. Thank you, thank you, thank you! God, I love you so much! So, so freaking much," she choked out.

Sniffling, Arizona tightened her embrace on the woman in her arms. "I love you, too Calliope. More than you could ever know, but really, I should be the one thanking you," she softly contended.

Pulling back barely an inch, Callie brought a tanned hand to cup an ivory cheek. "Why on earth should you be thanking me?" she asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Placing her own hands over the ones resting against her cheeks, Arizona smiled lovingly at her wife. "I have to thank you because you saved my life. You've loved me, and you've allowed me, for the first time in such a long time, to finally be happy, a-and. . .I-I. . ._it_ feels so fucking good, Calliope. And that - that's all because of you, babe. You came into my life at a time where I wanted to give up. You swept me off my feet and gave me a reason to live. You gave me back my life and my freedom and I love you, Callie. So much. Always. . .and forever," the blonde reverently stated as she held her soul mate's teary gaze.

A gleaming smile curled at Callie's plump lips, her fingertips caressing the smooth skin, she so loved to touch. Leaning in so her lips were only an inch from her wife's, she breathed a sigh of relief. "You're free, Arizona. _We're_ finally free," she replied before connecting their mouths in an intimate tryst of wanton lips and insistent tongues.

Standing there, arms wrapped around each other, the couple kissed with a passion born of the deepest and the most profound love for the person in front of them. And as the world continued around them, they basked only in one another - only in their mouths moving in unison, their bodies firmly pressing together.

They could do nothing but savor this moment.

Because, this was their moment.

The moment they had been waiting not only a year for, but a lifetime.

And right now, nothing else in the world mattered beyond this very moment and all the love that they shared.

* * *

**AN2: **So, what next? A fun, sexy, happy sequel? Something else? Let us know! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! We look forward to reading what you think about this final chapter! Thanks again!


	18. Author's Note!

Hey everyone!

Just a little note. I have been getting an abnormally large amount of reviews and PMs all of the sudden asking me three things. One. . .will Hands57 be making a comeback? Two. . .where is the sequel to this story? And three. . .will the sequel to this story be completed?

While I'm very glad that you all enjoyed this story and what was written of the sequel, the answers to questions one and three are. . .no. The answer to question two is. . .I assume it has been deleted.

The decision to stop writing as Hands57 was mine and mine alone and had nothing to do with trolls and nasty people as some people have asked. I have been dealing with bad reviews that had nothing to do with my writing from the very beginning, so I can tell you with 100% honesty that such reviews are not what led me to make the decision to stop.

There were personal issues and time constraints that led me to that place, but I think that I am finally getting back into the swing of things at work and at home. That said, I do plan to return to writing. . .and soon, but I will be doing it alone this time around. It is time for me to write for myself and no one else. It's been almost a year since I posted my first chapter, and I've written alongside others for most of that time, but now I really feel like it is important for me to just go it alone.

So. . .I do want to send a huge thank you to everyone for your compliments and support. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me. . .but please sign in so that I can respond to you. Thanks again!


End file.
